One Step Forward
by Sahrah Marmlade-Leonhart
Summary: SEQUEL TO 'A LEAP OF FAITH.' The leap of faith ended her on two feet. When faced with a creepy crisis, Yuna has to decide let her fear choke her, or to take one step forward. TiYuna, RiGip, ShuLenne, other pairings.
1. Angel

Sahrah: Guess who's BAAAAAAACK! Yes, it is I. With the sequel to my "best seller" A Leap of Faith. I need to give a shout out to a reviewer who so kindly sent me an Instant Message and inspired me to start part 2. Her penname is sakuraxxdrops. Here ya go, girl!

Tidus: ((runs up and kisses sakuraxxdrops))

Sahrah: See, I promised. Now, onto the much-awaited chapter 1. Oh, before I forget, there will be a crossover with Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly. And I made an original character named Raine Austre. And Rinoa is an antagonist because I hate her. **Yuna's Point of View**

**Chapter 1: Angel**

College is a breeze. Freshman and sophomore years were fairly easy, and now I'm majoring in Forensic Science (A/N: And I've been watching too much CSI.) Even though I plan to be a novelist.

Lenne and Emma were doing very well, and Shuyin is an excellent father. Wakka had a Blitzball game last week, and after the game, Lulu went onto the field and gave him the wettest kiss I've ever seen in my life.

Rikku and Gippal are both majoring in acting, and are just as hyper as ever. Paine is training to be a spinal surgeon. Thus is her nickname **Doctor P**. Baralai comes down every weekend and we all go out to a local diner.

And, of course, Tidus. My wonderful boyfriend. He's going to become a psychologist for children living in critical conditions, like AIDS, cancer, and all kinds of birth defects and illnesses, as well as mental challenges. He wants to teach them sports, if possible. He told me that even if you can't breathe on your own, or stand on your legs, or you can't add two plus two, you still deserve to have a moment in the spotlight. Every child deserves to hold a bat or bounce a ball, and be able to say that you are a person, too. You can do something, no matter what's wrong with you.

Yevon, I love him. And here, when I first met him, I figured that all he thought about was Blitzball. Ha.

Emma spoke her first word a few days ago. It was 'Waterga.'

And, oh, you can imagine those results… Lenne was at the local pool with Em, and, well… everyone got much wetter than they planned too. Lulu was beaming. I blame her.

My teachers are all very nice. So are most of the students. There's one in particular that stands out to me, and not in a good way.

Rinoa Heartilly is beautiful, smart, and a total bitch. She thinks she knows everything about forensic science, but she totally doesn't. She's a junior.

Not to freaking mention she was trying to flirt with Tidus. The look on her face when I kissed him 'hello'? Priceless. I swear to Yevon. Now she's got her eyes on this poor guy named Squall. He's in my painting class. He's very quiet, but he's an amazing artist. He's a junior.

Which just about sums it up to the beginning of junior year.

* * *

I yawned and opened my eyes slowly. First the green one, and then the blue one. Tidus was still asleep. That boy had the face of an angel when he slumbered. He really did.

I rolled out of the soft queen size bed and rubbed the sleep lazily from my eyes. I looked back at my sleeping boyfriend. He had such a beautiful face. His eyes fluttered open and focused sleepily.

"'Morning, Yunie," he said sleepily.

"'Morning, Tidus," I answered, giving him a peck on the lips before showering, dressing, and walking into the hallway to meet up with Rikku and Lulu. We were planning on having some breakfast at this café Rikku discovered.

"So, what class is next?" asked Rikku. "I've got my performing arts."

"Painting," Lulu answered. "It's my only class with Yuna."

I nodded, taking a sip of the coffee I was drinking.

* * *

Lulu and I walked through the halls of the great big school on our way to painting when we saw a girl in the hall.

She was obviously a freshman, with her map in hand, but she was looking at it like it was a five headed person, and it was upside-down.

The girl had long, black hair with a red streak in it, and confused-looking light blue eyes. She was wearing blue jeans and a tight red tank top.

"Are you lost?" asked Lulu placidly.

"Yes," the girl replied shortly. "I'm looking for the painting class."

"You're in luck. That's where we're headed. You can come with us."

"Thanks muchly!" the girl grinned. "My name's Raine, by the way. Just transferred from Gagazet. And you are…?"

"I'm Lulu, and this is Yuna. We're from Bevelle."

Raine grinned even wider. "Sweet. Nice 'ta meetcha."

I smiled. She was quite energetic. "I think you should know, though," I spoke, "that you're holding your map upside down." She blinked, and then shrugged.

"Never was any good at reading maps. I've got a horrible sense of direction."

* * *

After the class was over, Raine bolted out of the room and then back in.

"Dude, there's a hot blonde guy out there looking for you," she told me. "And speaking of hot, who was that guy sitting next to you, Yuna?"

"Squall Leonhart," I answered. "He's really quiet."

"He's really HOT!"

"_She's_ like a mini-Rikku, only flirtier," the dark-haired black mage complained.

"Who's Rikku?" asked Raine.

I batted my eyes at Lulu. "Aww, she's so cute. Can we keep her?"

Tidus, who was tired of waiting, had walked in and came up behind me. He put his arms around me, and I jumped.

"Ah! Tidus!" I exclaimed. Raine nodded and confirmed that yes; this was the guy who had been looking for me.

"Hey. Wanna grab lunch before my psychology class?"

"Sure," I replied, reaching over to grab my books. A pink letter fell out. "Hey, what's this…?"

It was a love letter.

_My Dearest Yuna,_

_You don't know me, but I want you to know that I love you. I think you're beautiful, smart, funny, and creative. I want to get to know you better. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_A Secret Admirer_

I was about to say 'haha, nice one, Tidus' when I realized that it was not his sloppy handwriting on the letter.

"What's it say, Yuna?" asked Lulu.

"It's from a secret admirer…"

"What? You mean there's someone in this world that doesn't know you're crazy about Tidus?"

"Apparently."

Tidus frowned and shrugged. "They'll find out soon enough, right?"

I grinned. "Absolutely, sweetie. Shall we grab lunch?"

He smiled. "Yeah."

**Tidus's Point of View**

I can't say I was exactly happy about that letter, because I certainly wasn't. But Yuna had proven her love for me already, and I knew she wouldn't respond to that kind of letter.

"I love you, Yunie," I told her quietly.

"Love you too," she answered. She grabbed a table in the café while I ordered for her and me—her favorite food was French toast with bacon—and I got chicken.

"Enjoy," an older woman put the food on the table and we both smiled.

"So, who was that girl?" I asked.

"Raine. New friend."

"Hmm." It was silent while we ate, but not an awkward one. It was a comfortable silence, almost like a conversation on its own.

And then we went our separate ways. We held hands on the way out—I wondered what ring size Yuna was…

**Yuna's Pont of View**

In a few short weeks, Raine had wormed her way into our circle of friends. Soon enough, it was Halloween. Raine was put in charge of the Halloween committee at the university ("We always took Halloween very seriously at my house," she said) and she was forcing us into manual labor.

She had asked YRP to go and buy some large pumpkins. She also informed us that the largest pumpkin would be named Ted. Which was short for Tedward. For no apparent reason.

Lulu was asked to help decorate the Community Ballroom that had been rented for the affair, and the men were carrying out the decorating under the order of Raine and Lulu.

We had come to expect that of Raine. Oh, and Lenne was planning everyone's costumes.

"Is this Ted?" asked Paine sarcastically, pointing to a large orange pumpkin.

"No, the last one was bigger," argued Rikku. Instead of trying to figure out which one was biggest, we simply tried to figure out which one was Ted.

"Excuse me, miss?" asked a quiet clerk from behind. "The largest pumpkin we have is over _here. _Do you want it?"

"TED!" Rikku and I shouted at the same time. Paine gave us a funny look and purchased 'Ted' along with several more big pumpkins. To this day, I blame Raine, because the lady was incredibly embarrassed by our outburst as we paid for the giant veggies.

Meanwhile (and this is all speculation, I wasn't there) Tidus, Gippal, Wakka, and Shuyin were decorating the apartment complex with permission from the owner. Raine was flittering about roping whoever she could into helping, and Lenne was playing with little Emma, who now could also say the words 'Mommy,' 'Daddy,' and 'Tedward.'

Again, I blame Raine.

When we came back, Lenne pulled us into the apartment she shared with her husband (ooh! Fun word!)

"These are my ideas for your costumes," she explained, showing us pictures. "For Paine, I could see _this—"_ she gestured at a sexy-like devil costume—"Lulu could be a gypsy, Rikku could be a witch—"

"Oh, she does that everyday. Do something different," supplied Lulu with a friendly smirk. Lenne rolled her eyes, and Rikku hit the black mage.

"Ha. Anyway, Raine said that she was making her own costume, so I left her alone. For _you,_ Yuna, I designed this. Now, nobody is allowed to be jealous, but I got a little wild with the silver."

The design she held out was an absolutely stunning angel costume. It hugged around the waist, but fanned out delicately after it left the hips. The skirt was a pale silver, and the upper part was tight, white, and tied with a silver ribbon. The wings were the most amazing, beautiful, stunning, breathtaking things I'd ever seen.

They were illustrated as pure white feathers, great, proud wings that looked like they wanted to launch into flight. In the drawing, they strapped to the dress itself. There was a headband with a sparkly halo, too.

The week, after that, went quite quickly. On Halloween night, we sat in my apartment getting ready.

"Ta-da!" sang Rikku from behind me. I turned to see a black mage-style witch, but she was anything but generic. Her outfit was a mixture of greens, purples, some pinks, and a few other colors in the mix. It was a work of art, especially the hat. (A/N: It's the Black Mage Dressphere for Rikku in X-2.)

Next came Lulu. She was dressed in layers upon silky layers of elegant, glittery fabrics, topped off with large hoop earrings and a headscarf. She carried a tambourine and wore jingly beads around her hips loosely. The dress reached the floor, brushing ever so slightly on the carpet. Once she slipped into her black leather boots, it was perfect.

Paine's devil outfit was pretty sweet, too. It was a skintight red spandex bikini top with a lacy jacket. The jacket was see through. She also wore a red miniskirt and red boots that reached the middle of her thigh. A pair of plastic devil horns adorned her head, and she gripped her pitchfork as though she intended to stab people.

Come to think of it, that _was_ probably her intention.

Lenne was wearing a tight black dress, a belt with a cat's tail coming out of the back, and cat ears. She had painted her nose pink and drawn black whiskers on her cheeks. Little Emma was also dressed as a cat, only there was no face paint, and her ears and tail were orange.

"Tedward!" she cooed happily as she opened her eyes. We all giggled and I went into the bathroom to change.

I had run out to the store to find the angel wings, the last pair that wasn't made of synthetic material. The ones I had were majestic and beautiful. The ends were tipped in silver sparkles, and the dress was satin. The outfit from Lenne's picture was brought to life, more beautiful than I remembered. I slipped on the halo headband, put on some sheer lip-gloss and my white sandals, and emerged.

It got very quiet. Finally, Paine spoke.

"Yuna, you look astounding."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Then, there was a knock on the front door. Lenne scurried over to open it, and Raine stood with a paper bag in her arms.

"Sorry I'm late, but can I change real fast?" she asked.

I nodded and she ran past me, saying, "You look awesome, Yuna!"

And then she came out.

She wore tight black gown, with silky satin fabric and a slit up her leg. The slit ended at the top of her thigh, and her leg was easily visible. Raine was wearing black netting on her legs and sexy high-heeled strappy shoes. She wore flowy sleeves that started in the middle of her upper arms and flowed gracefully around her hands. The low cut dress made the perfect spot for a necklace.

The necklace was a silver moon pendant with a ruby in the center. Her wavy hair was pulled into a tight high ponytail, and she had put on heavy makeup. A sheer silver cape fanned out behind her.

We couldn't tell what she was per say until she grinned.

She parted her cherry lips to reveal two sharp, realistic fangs attached firmly to her upper incisors. Vampire.

"Well?" she asked. "Tell me it looks good. These mofos were a bitch to put on."

Rikku squealed at the freshman and glomped her. "Raaaaaaine, you look so sexy!"

The fake vampire raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, that's not comforting coming from you, Ri."

"I didn't mean for _me,_ I meant for SQUALL!"

Raine had not hesitated to develop a crush on the brown-haired college junior. He, of course, showed no signs of returning these feelings, but that didn't discourage our Mini-Rikku.

"Like he'll even be there," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but if he is, I'm forcing him to dance with me," Raine grinned.

"A good plan," noted Paine.

Soon after, a friend of Lenne's mother came to take Emma trick-or-treating with her own daughter, Lenne put on a glittery teal fairy costume, and we left.

I had to admit, Raine and her committee had done a great job on the banquet hall. The room was towards the back, and the front had a band onstage, flashy orange and purple lighting, black and purple balloons, spider webs, and a disco ball. There was a variety of candy and snack foods in the back.

Raine and Rikku ran off, shouting hellos to random people they recognized, Lulu found Wakka (who was wearing an inmate costume) and started dancing with him, Gippal was racing after Rikku and Rae (Raine's nickname was Rae), and Paine slunk off to the food until Baralai found her and dragged her to the dance floor.

Lenne practically tackled Shuyin, who looked very nice in his ninja costume. It was at this point I realized that I was standing stupidly by myself.

"Yuna!" called a familiar voice. I turned around. It was Tidus, who looked simply dazzling.

He was wearing a knight costume, except for anything on his head (Yevon forbid the covering of his handsome face) and he bowed deeply.

"M'lady, may I have this dance?" he asked jokingly.

"You can have _all_ my dances," I replied.

**Rikku's Point of View**

"Gippal!" I called as Raine scurried away. He turned. Gippal was wearing a pirate costume—it made him look hot. (A/N: Because Rikku apparently doesn't already think he's hot. Perhaps she needs to get her eyes checked.)

"Tyhla fedr sa!" I exclaimed in Al Bhed. 'Dance with me.'

"E drehg E syo pa ypma du ynnyhka dryd..." he replied. 'I think I may be able to arrange that...'

I want to point out now that while aspiring to be actors, we also are taking a dance class. Soon, Gippal and I were sashaying and dipping and twirling all around. I felt special.

**Tidus's Point of View**

Needless to say, it was a good time. Raine got asked to dance countless numbers of times before she got fed up and shouted, "I'M A LESBIAN!" really loudly. It's not true, but the statement served its purpose just the same.

Paine and Baralai took a moonlit stroll and we haven't seen them since. Rikku and Gippal owned the party, and Rikku found Wakka and Lulu making out behind a stairwell. Lenne and Shu danced, actually behaving themselves, but they left early to take care of Emma, who came home with a mountain of candy and the ability to say, 'trick-or-treat.'

I want to point out now just how radiant Yuna looked with her wings and halo. Not that she needs them to be an angel. Not to me, at least.

I found out that Yuna's ring size is seven.

After the party, everyone drove back lazily to the dorms. Yuna and I found a note attached to our door.

'_Dear Yuna,_

_You look stunning in your angel costume. I've come to the conclusion that you are a real angel. I love you, and I can't wait until tomorrow, because every day I love you even more…Happy Halloween, my sweet!_

_Love,_

_Your Secret Admirer.'_

Yuna looked at me with panic in her eyes. I held her tightly and discarded the letter in the hallway, steered her inside, locked the door, and sighed. The first note had been annoying. Now it was getting creepy.

* * *

Sahrah: Well? Happy Halloween, everyone! I know it's a day late and all, but it was the best I could do. I'll be starting chapter 2 soon, but don't expect it too soon, because I'm going to pick up my copy of FFXII. It's gonna rock, I know it. Thanks, if you are a returning reviewer, and hello if you are a new one. If you are a new one, I hope you decided to read 'A Leap of Faith' first. 

Oh, and by the way, I cosplayed for Halloween as Sakura Haruno from the anime/manga, NARUTO. I'll show pictures when I stop being lazy.


	2. Letters

**Sahrah**: I was messing around on YouTube and I found one of the cutscenes from FFX-2 + International + Last Mission, and so I looked up the translation. For those of you who were worried, Paine and her old team are back together, Rikku and the Gullwings (minus Yuna and Paine) are still at it, and Yuna is living on Besaid with Lulu, Wakka, Vidina, and, you guessed it, Tidus! If you go on www. gamefaqs dot com, you can find the translation. Somewhere in there, Yuna mentions that she lives with Tidus and they watch the ocean and take walks and she prepares different meals for him. So I just had to say that. Sorry for talking so much! This chapter is dedicated to the oh-so-very rare male reviewer, Sammy2483. You rock, man! **Yuna's Point of View.**

**Chapter Two: Letters**

A month passed. Letters came, a few per week, and soon it was December.

The mystery admirer would generally write poems about how he thought I was beautiful, or smart, or whatever else.

However, the one I got one dreary Tuesday evening was not like that. This one was addressed to Tidus. And this one was a threat. It was a threat for Tidus to stay away from me. A warning.

Tidus ripped the letter in half and told me not to worry, that it was a prank, that someone just had a crush on me (he also said he didn't blame the guy) and made some hot chocolate.

* * *

That was the day I met Ray Ericson was a Wednesday, and it was raining. I exited from painting class- Raine lingered behind to flirt with Squall, and Lulu was sick with a fever- and I walked smack into him.

He was slightly taller than me, with rust-colored, choppy hair and piercing, dark, menacing brown eyes. Those dark eyes sparked with recognition when he saw me, and the corners of his mouth twitched upwards.

The impact of walking into him caused me to drop my books, and I dropped to my knees in a hurry to pick them up. He kneeled, too, and scooped up a few of my papers, handing them to me.

"Sorry, Yuna!" he exclaimed, bowing respectively.

How did he know my name? "Um… and you are?"

"Ray! Ray Ericson! I-I, um… I sent you those letters…" he looked up, blushed, and looked at his shoes.

"Oh yeah?" I was put off. "Did you also send that threat to my boyfriend?"

He looked up and blinked, his dark eyes flashing with both despair and loathing. He excused himself abruptly and ran off. Oh well. At least then I had a name, and a face to go with it.

I stayed kind of quiet on that lackluster December day, not bringing up the subject of the letters or the sender of them. At dinner, Raine and Rikku prattled on about some book the two had read (some vampire book called Twilight). (A/N: It's the most amazing book ever. _Twilight_ by Stephanie Meyer. Go read it. Now.)

Gippal and Wakka discussed video games; Paine rolled her eyes at R2 (Rikku and Raine; Raine was not added to our group name, but since Raine was a mini-Rikku, they were referred to as 'R2'.)

Lenne and Shuyin played with Emma, who could now sing the ABC's, and Tidus laughed at how his brother had changed. Lulu was not there; she was sick. And I sat and watched.

I walked to the bedroom in the apartment and opened a book I had been reading, one that I had dropped earlier, and a letter fell out. I groaned, tempted to throw it away, but I opened it out of politeness and curiosity.

_Dear Yuna,_

_I grow weary; your lack of response makes me weary with anticipation. I love you so much more than that chocobo-haired Blitz freak ever could. Please, give me a chance._

_In my weariness, I reached a decision—if you will not accept my feelings, then I will not let yours be directed at anyone else._

_Does the name Emma mean anything to you?_

I swallowed hard. Would he hurt Emma? Was he truly that psychotic, enough so to hurt a little girl? I balled up the letter in my hand and glared at it, tears of hatred forming in my bi-colored eyes.

"How can you do this?" I hissed at the wad of paper, throwing it against the wastebasket angrily, venomously. "Emma has done nothing wrong!"

"Yuna?" someone spoke behind me. Lenne.

"Oh… Lenne. Wh-what's up?"

"Is something wrong with Emma?" Lenne was concise, as always, and to the point, seriousness filling in on her gentle features.

"Lenne, I can't lie to you. You deserve better than that," I began. "Recently, I was receiving these letters… secret admirer letters… which was sweet at first, but it kept getting creepier and creepier. Then, Tidus got a letter from the same person. A threat. To stay away from me. And… and today, I got this letter." I leaned over, picked up the note, and smoothed it out. Lenne skimmed over it and dropped it, half out of shock, and half so she could hug me.

"Oh, Yunie," she whispered. "Why didn't you tell us? YRP plus L2, right? Forever and a day, sweetie. I don't care if you don't want to drag us into this; I'm pulling myself in."

**Tidus's Point of View**

That night, Lenne called a meeting to discuss Yuna's problem. The name of the letter writer was apparently Ray Ericson, a name I'd never heard before.

"I'm willing to say that he only heard you mention Emma once, and decided that the name would make a good threat," Paine said.

"Yeah, he might not even know who Emma is," offered Gippal.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Emma's safe for now, I think, but if this guy is willing to make threats like this, I think he'd be willing to act on those threats," Shuyin pointed out. "Everyone should keep and eye out for this guy, as well as for Tidus and Yuna."

Raine stifled a groan. It didn't work. "What's wrong, Raine?" I asked.

"Well, if we have to keep an eye on you, that means I have to leave right away after painting instead of staying to talk to Squall!"

Paine rolled her eyes and Wakka snorted. I ignored her.

"Anyway," I continued, "if anything changes, we can call another meeting."

"The cell phone's always on, ya?'

"Call anytime."

"Bye, guys! Call me!"

Everyone called their goodbyes and walked down the hallway to their own apartments. I looked over at Yuna.

She sat rigidly in the cold wooden chair, her eyes fighting back tears, her lips strained with concentration. I kneeled in front of her, pressing my palm to her cheek, lifting her face up gently.

"Yunie," I whispered. "Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to Emma, or to me, or to you. Okay?"

She put a trembling hand over mine. "I feel… trapped again, Tidus," she murmured. "I'm afraid."

I nodded. "I know, Yuna. That's why, this time… you have me!" She closed her eyes and nodded, sliding off the chair and into a hug.

"Come on, let's go to bed," I murmured, holding her hand as we walked into the comforting room. We changed our clothes and slid into bed.

Just before losing consciousness, Yuna clasped her fingers with mine.

**Yuna's Point of View**

Forensics class was my favorite class. My teacher, Doctor Gregory Brown, was a nice man with interesting ideas and good inquiries. He was very easy to learn from. He could teach any type of person with any type of learning style.

He was a good man.

Why did he have to die like that?

It was the day after the meeting with my friends. I walked into the class, only to be ushered out by a police officer. There was caution tape all around the room. Officers were frantic, and the other students were really confused.

I saw the first person I recognized—Rinoa Heartilly—and ran up to her.

"What's going on?" I asked her in a rushed whisper.

"I don't know," she whispered back. For some reason, it felt right to whisper. "I got here a little early, but… like, I think Dr. Brown got murdered or something. In a forensics class. Omigawd, how dramatic. D'you think they'll let me help solve the murder?"

I rolled my eyes. Typical Rinoa. And then I saw it. The body. It was indeed our professor, with his eyes rolled back in his head, an eerie sight compared to his normal warm and welcoming self. He was dead. From one fingertip to the other was a frightening message, written by a knife in my dead teacher's skin.

_I warned you that I was taking action._

I went pale. The letter. Ray. '_In my weariness, I reached a decision—if you will not accept my feelings, then I will not let yours be directed at anyone else.'_

I stifled a scream and bolted, weaving through the masses of students and policemen, running, running, until I stopped outside in the courtyard. And there he stood, like a statue. The murdered. Ray Ericson.

"Did you get my newest message?" he asked hopefully.

"You-you killed him!" I choked out, glaring mercilessly.

"Red is a beautiful color, don't you think so? The color of passion. Perfect for the message."

"You are avoiding my question!"

"And you avoid mine." He turned to face me. "Will you give me a chance with you?"

"No!" I shouted. "You killed that innocent man! You are a killer! And a stalker! And you _dare_ to act like you didn't do anything wrong!? You are twisted and SICK!"

Ray frowned. "Nothing is wrong in love, Yuna! I did it for you!"

I took a step backwards, leaning against the brick walls of the science wing for support. I leaned over and retched, coughing up my breakfast. The stalker only watched intently.

He took a step towards me.

"STAY AWAY!" I screamed. "YOU SICK FREAK!"

His eyes became sad, and he looked at his feet. "I can prove it," I heard him mumble. "I can _prove_ I love you more than that _boy._"

"He's more of a _man_ than you will ever hope to be," I answered, standing tall. "He aspires to do great things with his life. And what of you, Ericson? What are _you_ doing with _your_ life?"

He sighed deeply. "Winning you over. That's all I need right now."

"Keep dreaming."

He nodded. "Keep an eye out for my next message."

"Leave my friends _alone_, Ray."

He grinned. "You called me by my first name."

"I'm going to report you to the police."

"They won't find any evidence. I didn't kill him myself. They will only find the trail of someone who committed a murder whilst being on high and then overdosing themselves. There will be nothing left, except for your silly claims. Please, Yuna. You can't win."

I glared at him. I didn't know him very well, but I hated him. I hated his dark eyes, his feigned innocence; I hated how he walked so arrogantly.

I hated how he had outsmarted me.

Another meeting was called ASAP. There was so much to tell. There was so much danger. What was wrong with the world? Did Yevon hate me so much? After the happenings of the previous year, I thought all of us deserved to be free from those chains of betrayal and broken faith.

But all we got were more scattered ashes of hope, blowing like letters lost in the wind.

**End of Chapter 2**

Sahrah: Everyone, applaud, please! I worked hard on this. I also want to apologize for not updating last month—I was really busy. To make up for it, I will update twice this month, so don't fret. I'm sorry, gomen, gomen! And, everyone wish me luck, because on Saturday, I'm going to a winter ball at my school, and I might be asked out by this guy that I totally like, so please cross your fingers for me! Thanks!


	3. Waiting

Sahrah: Happy New Year, everyone! Whew. I decided to skip a holiday chapter, because they're so cliché (uhuh, yeah, because I'm always so original). At this point, I wish to remind you all that this story will only be about ten chapters long, give or take. Also, I try to be more realistic than other fics, so don't expect our creepy villain to go free for too long. Expect many pointless and fluffy chapters.

Editor: I always expect that.

Sahrah: Shut up! Anyway, here we are, chapter three. _VERY _slight Rikku/Gippal fluff in this chappie. I don't own any of the characters (except for Ray) or _The Phantom of the _Opera (you'll see what I mean). **Tidus's Point of View.**

**Chapter 3: Waiting**

Soon, it was nearing the end of January. It had not been very cold, and no more events occurred. As Ray had predicted, the police trail went cold; apparently a student got high and then murdered the teacher, overdosed, and died. That was that.

I was walking past Rikku and Gippal's room, when I heard them singing a weird duet.

"_…I am the mask you wear,"_ Rikku sang.

"_It's me they hear…"_ Gippal added. I poked my head in. That's what they get for leaving the door open.

"What the hell are you singing?" I asked.

"The Phantom of the Opera, you uncultured fool! It's the musical we're performing in our acting class. Whoever gets the leads will be offered the parts in their senior year on Broadway! Instant fame!" Rikku exclaimed, waving what appeared to be her script around wildly.

"I make a perfect Phantom," grinned Gippal. "My eye with the patch is freaky looking. I don't even need makeup!"

"You're _perfect, darling_," drawled the Al Bhed girl flirtatiously, throwing her arms around his shoulders dramatically. "I'm going to be Christine, the beautiful and talented heroine, who is forced to choose between the mysterious and sardonic Opera Ghost, the Phantom, and the kind, handsome patron of the troupe, Raul, whom she loves fiercely. Of course, she ends up with Raul and the Phantom disappears, but whatever."

I cocked my head to the side. "If… if the Phantom is the bad guy, why are you trying out for him? Why not be the guy that the girl ends up with?"

"The Phantom has a _much_ better part," offered Gippal.

"Okay. Well, good luck with that, I'm going to be late." With that, I left to the sound of Rikku hitting high notes rather well (she would soon be giving Lenne and Yuna a run for their money in the ways of singing).

I walked out and gasped. It was the first snow of the winter. I pulled my scarf up around my face and watched as my breath drifted away, a white cloud among the snowflakes.

"Hello, Tidus." A voice cold enough to match the weather startled me. I glanced to my left; leaning against the building was Ray Ericson. He had a scowl on his face, and his eyebrows angled drastically downwards, angry and harsh.

"Ericson," I nodded, staying calm.

"I have a bone to pick with you," he snapped.

"Oh?"

"Yes. It's about Yuna."

"Oh, you mean my _girlfriend?_" Oh come on. You would have rubbed it in his desperate-looking face too.

His lip twitched. "Yes," he said venomously. "I want you to stay away from her."

I burst out laughing. Ray watched me before I stopped. "Oh, you were serious about that?"

"Never been more serious, Watanuki."

"That's a shame. Yuna and I live in the same apartment, share the same bed (we have been for years) and go to the same school. Not to mention we're in love."

"You hog her all to yourself, you abhorrent toad!" he shouted suddenly. "You're not the only one who loves her, you know! Such a pig! Arrogant, too!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm late. I have to meet a friend of mine. I'm buying a _ring_ for _Yuna._ Goodbye."

Then he surprised me. With speed I never expected, he lunged forward and swung a punch that just barely missed.

"Careful there, you might hurt someone," I pointed out. Note to self- do _not_ piss off crazy people.

He snarled something inaudible, and then threw another strike, hitting my arm. I punched back. Years of Blitzball reflexes will do that. Then he did something else I didn't expect; he whacked me in the head with a metal pole.

My sight blurred, and I briefly lost consciousness. I recovered, ignoring the run of blood down the side of my face and jumped backwards as he swung again.

"Chill out, man! Let's just- let's just talk about this for a sec!" I called to him desperately. He was armed, and I was hurt. It would not end well.

"Chill out my ass! You'll get what you deserve!" he screamed at me, and hit me again, in the arm. I yelled; it hurt. With the pole he had, it was likely that my arm was broken, or at least sprained.

He was grinning sadistically as he swung once more. I dodged it, but I fell on the ground. My blood was running thickly, matting my hair, and rolling into my chapped lips. It was warm, much warmer than my cold fingers. The blood loss was making me dizzy and cold, and the weather didn't help.

Ray swung at my head, hit my hands out of his way mercilessly, and then swung again, making contact with my ear. I screamed out loud. (Not a very manly thing to do, but he almost shattered my face. You'd have screamed too.)

He would have easily broken my skull as I blacked out, but luckily, at that moment, Gippal and Rikku were taking a break and leaving to get some coffee. I'm not quite sure what happened after that, but I woke up in the infirmary a few hours later, so it couldn't have ended too badly.

**Yuna's Point of View**

I sat at the side of his bed. How many times had it ended like this? Tidus asleep in a hospital bed, or the nurse's office, or wherever else, injured by someone who wanted me. Too many times.

I was getting rather sick of being the desperate damsel in distress, waiting bedside for my hero to wake up.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Why does this keep happening to us?" I smiled sadly. But I didn't cry. Long ago, my tears had drained. Drained, of course, for crying over him.

"Why do you trouble me so much, you idiot?" I continued softly. "You make me worry. Scared. All of the time. I know this feeling all too well, you know." I closed my eyes. "We're always waiting for each other, y'know?

"Waiting for the other to wake up, or get better…" I shook my head and stood up.

After Gippal and Rikku had come outside, they witnessed Ray smacking Tidus with a thick metal pole. Tidus had fainted quickly, and Ray had stepped on his arm, causing Tidus to groan loudly even in his state of unconsciousness.

Gippal had acted first. He jumped at Ray and disarmed him, throwing the pole towards Rikku, who had taken it, whipped out her cell phone, and called the dean of the school. Gippal held Ray in a headlock while Rikku packed snow on the broken arm in hopes to reduce the swelling, and she pressed one of her gloves to the injury on his head.

The nurse and five faculty members had arrived a few minutes later with a stretcher. Tidus was taken to the infirmary, and Ray had been taken to the dean's office.

Apparently, Tidus had a slight concussion, was expected to wake up in a few hours, and Ray would be serving 1000 hours of community service for assault and attempted murder.

I sighed.

"It's getting late. I'll come see you tomorrow, sweetie," I said to his sleeping form. There was a bandage around his head and his arm, and he was shirtless (the nurse couldn't reach his arm through the coat.)

I slept alone for the first time in years. It was lonely, for starters, but I dreaded it. With Tidus in the bed with me, I had always felt safe, always guarded, always protected. I was not afraid of whatever would come.

The bed was cold, too, and I curled up into a tiny ball under the thick blanket, clutching my own arms. I was still waiting for him. My body couldn't sleep. It was waiting, too. I was silent, until early morning, when I fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

The next morning I rushed to the infirmary, not stopping to grab any breakfast. The nurse told me that Tidus had woken up in the very early morning (possibly at the same time I had fallen asleep) and he was still a bit out of it.

"Tidus!" I whispered as I opened the door to the room he was in. He was sitting up in the bed, head turned to face the window, his fingers tracing patterns on his blanket. At the sound of my voice, he turned and saw me. For a moment he looked confused, and then he grinned.

"O-oh, hi, Yuna."

"Oh my Yevon, I'm so glad you're okay!" I ran up and kissed him, hugged him gently, and then stopped. Something was wrong. He looked astounded, shocked, overjoyed, and breathless.

"Yuna, I… Wow, that… Okay, um…"

I blinked. "Something wrong?"

"Um… well, I… you just… you just ran up and kissed me!"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "I do that all the time. Why wouldn't I kiss my boyfriend?"

"_Boyfriend!?_" he half shouted it. "Yuna, I mean, I _do_ like you… a lot… and I was going to ask you out, but… I mean… what are you talking about?"

"What am _I_ talking about!? What are _you_ talking about?"

He blinked. "I was going to ask you out, but you don't go out with people ever, and you practically hate guys, especially guys like me, but, well… if you are afraid to get involved with guys, why the _hell_ did you just kiss me and call me your boyfriend!? I don't understand!" He shook his head.

I blinked. "Tidus, how old are you?"

"Eighteen, same as you. Yuna, are you okay?"

I swallowed hard. "Tidus, where are we right now?"

"The nurse's office at Bevelle High…"

I clapped my hand over my mouth and bolted. I ran out of the room and up to the nurse.

"**_WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM!?"_** I shrieked hysterically, my lost tears returning like birds after a long winter. "**_WHY DOESN'T HE REMEMBER ME?!"_**

She looked baffled. "Yuna, dear, what are you talking about?"

**_"TIDUS! HE THINKS HE'S STILL A SENIOR IN HIGHSCHOOL! HE DOESN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING! EVERYTHING WE WENT THROUGH, ALL THE… HE FORGOT! IT'S ALL GONE! DO SOMETHING!"_** I shook the nurse (Doctor Paurelle) and screamed, crying. She raised her hand and slapped me across the face.

"I'm sorry, Yuna, but you were going into shock hysterics. Let me go see what's wrong."

I stood shaking as she entered his room and closed the door. Then I waited. I kept waiting. After half an hour, she emerged.

"Slight memory loss is common in concussions like Tidus's," Dr. Paurelle told me. "His memory will come back, but you can speed it up by telling him things, showing him pictures, and the like. He's rather confused right now, but he said something about 'the girl of his dreams' and I'm kind of hoping he means you or this could get awkward."

I rushed back in. Tidus hadn't moved, but he grinned when I came in.

"Tidus, I have to tell you something. A lot of things, actually."

He nodded.

"Tidus, we're not eighteen years old. We're both twenty-one years old. We've been going out since the summer of our senior year in highschool. Your brother, Shuyin and his girlfriend, Lenne, had a baby girl named Emma and got married. Our friends Paine and Baralai are going out, and so are Rikku, my cousin, and Gippal. We're all going to Zanarkand University, and you and I are sharing an apartment… and a bed, come to think of it."

I smiled a little. "You just received a minor concussion because of this guy named Ray Ericson. He wants to go out with me, and for some reason, he ended up beating you with a metal rod. He murdered my Forensics teacher to get his point across to us. For a while he had been writing love letters to me, then he wrote threatening ones to you."

I smiled a bit more, and a tear escaped my eye. He reached out and brushed it away.

"Care to fill me in exactly we did between now and then?" he asked softly. "It all sounds kind of crazy, and I'm sure there are parts of it I won't believe, but if you're saying it, it must be true."

I nodded. "Are you scared?" I whispered. "There are four years of your life missing from your memory… are you afraid?"

He grinned and shook his head. "Nah. I'm sure I've been through worse, if all this drama you're spitting out is correct."

I closed my eyes and slipped my hand into his. "You certainly have, love. Shall I tell our story as best I can?"

He nodded.

"I remember it fairly well. We were in math class, and had just finished a test. You passed me a note, and accused me of being a lesbian—"

"Wait, a lesbian? Why did I say that?"

"Because I didn't get into relationships with guys at that point. Don't interrupt! Anyway. You invited me to the dance/party/Blitzball thing, and after constant nagging, I finally said yes. Not before, of course, Paine threatening to harm you."

"Well that does sound like her."

"Stop interrupting, damn you! Okay, so we went to the dance, you dropped me off on your motorbike—"

"IT'S NOT A DEATHTRAP!" he blurted out. "Sorry, sorry, no interrupting, I know—"

"No, Tidus, wait… I always call your bike a deathtrap, just because it pisses you off…"

"Huh. I guess I do remember some stuff. I remember candles and a red room, and snow…"

"Could be. That night when you drove me home, you asked me to be your girlfriend, and I said yes. Two days after that, you, Shuyin, Gippal, Wakka, YRP and L2 left for a trip to Paine's winter house."

"I think… didn't a guy hit on my brother while we were down there?"

"Yes! Oh, but so much more happened, and it's not all fun and games. Do you want to hear about it?"

"I want to know everything, Yuna."

I smiled. "Good. So, rewinding, the night you asked me out, you also found out about this guy named Seymour."

"Who's Seymour?"

I blinked and laughed. "I envy you."

I told him about Seymour. I told him about everything. I even added some things I hadn't told him before. I wanted him to know everything. I was so tired of waiting. I stopped telling him things at the part where Shuyin and Lenne got married. It was getting late, and I had to go tell the others what had happened.

He went back to sleep; the nurse told me he could come back to our apartment the following day. I nodded.

As I walked back to my apartment, I stopped. Ray was leaning against a wall.

"What good is a boyfriend who can't even remember his history with you?" he asked mockingly. "You're better off with me."

"Oh? Am I better off with someone who murdered my teacher, gave my boyfriend a concussion, threatened my niece, and convinced a druggie to commit suicide? Or am I better off with someone who loves me, lost his memory by protecting me, and has protected me time and time again? He may not remember right now. But I do. And unless you plan to beat me with a metal rod as well, that won't change."

I laughed a bit. "My feelings won't change. But if you want, you can just keep waiting."

* * *

Sahrah: Three cheers for angst!

Editor: How about no.

Sahrah: Fine. Yevon. Anyways, tomorrow is my half birthday, but I figured that you guys deserve a present instead, so here it is—a new chapter! And so you know, I was listening to some very angsty emo music while writing this chapter. Review please!


	4. Love And Romance

Sahrah: Woo-hoo! Valentine's Day special! Just so you know, I'm aware that any lemon I write is crap, so you don't have to tell me ((rolls eyes)) and this is dedicated to the multiple readers who asked me to attempt another lemon. Again, I apologize for the suckishness. And I'm sorry it's short.

Editor: Stop apologizing and get on with it!

Sahrah: Oh my Yevon, this chapter is my death sentence. FLUFF FOR ALL! Well, okay then. **Yuna's point of view.

* * *

**

**Chapter 4: Love And Romance**

They let Tidus come back to the apartment building two weeks later. He managed to recall a few details of what I had told him, but most things were still missing from his memory. And the memories didn't even come back in order, so it was sometimes hard to me to tell whether he was talking about two months ago or two years ago.

However, we've made a lot of progress. I've been sleeping on the couch, though; I mean, he doesn't even remember our first Valentine's Day, or that him and I normally share a bed. I worried that still sharing the room would be uncomfortable for him, but Tidus, regardless of his state of mind, is always sweet enough to tell me that he doesn't mind.

On the bright side, I learned something new about our room; the couch is a pullout bed. Learning can be fun. Which is where we begin this chapter.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" sang Rikku as she burst in from next door with two boxes of chocolates and a vibrant red sweater with pink hearts in it.

Tidus looked up from his place on the couch (I was making pancakes) and put his book down.

"Hey, Rikku," he greeted.

"Hey, T! Didja remember anything new about me?"

"I vaguely remember shopping for candles with you… Why was I shopping for candles with _you?_ Huh. I'm sure there was a good reason."

I dropped the spoon with an embarrassed clatter, and Rikku clapped her hands over her mouth with a squeak.

"What? What'd I say!?" Tidus demanded.

"Um… well, if you've made it this far, I'm sure you'll remember _the rest of it_ in no time. Riiiiight, Yunie?"

I fidgeted with my hands as I watched the pancakes sizzle. _Get out of the room, Rikku!_

"Pancakes are done," I answered stiffly. "Go get Gippal and Paine." My cousin nodded and scampered off giggling, and Tidus looked at me.

"I'm willing to say it has something to do with Valentine's Day," he noted.

"Do you want me to tell you the rest of it?"

"Nah. It's way more fun to figure it out on my own. I'll bet you I remember by the end of the day."

"You're on," I replied with half smile.

The betting was quieted as my cousin reentered with Gippal and Paine. Lulu and Wakka were still sleeping, and then they had their own plans.

Lenne and Shuyin had dropped Emma off at a nearby friend's house and gone out for breakfast. Baralai couldn't come see Paine until Sunday (it was Friday; we had no classes because of some foreign holiday or something like that), so she was even quieter than normal.

"Pancaaaaaakes!" sang Rikku cheerfully. "Let's eat!"

* * *

**Tidus's Point of View**

Soon after the other three left, I cleared the table while Yuna put away the pancake ingredients. She was facing the pantry, her arms full of bags containing flour, sugar, and other stuff. Yes, I'm aware I'm somewhat illiterate. "Stuff" is a terrible word.

"Gotcha," I murmured in her ear as I wrapped my arms around her waist. She laughed, put away the last of the stuff she was holding (now I'm using the word on purpose)

"You're lucky I didn't drop anything," she commented as I kissed her neck. Yuna slid her hands over mind and sighed. "Never listening to reason… yes, you're certainly my Tidus, for sure."

"Ooh, I like the way that sounded. Your Tidus," I said. She laughed again, a light sound like small bells being rung.

"Hopefully it will always sound that way," Yuna answered.

"It will."

"Promise?"

"I promise, Yuna."

"I'll remember that promise," she warned.

"I'll be waiting," I replied.

* * *

**Paine's Point of View**

I've always hated Valentine's Day. When I was little, all it had ever been was an excuse for my parents to leave me home with a bitchy babysitter. When I was in highschool, it was just an excuse for more people to make out between classes, and now it was just an excuse for everyone but me to go on a date.

Long distance relationships were difficult. It was true, of course, that I saw 'Lai every weekend, and it was true that he was only two and a half hours away (that's far enough!) but it was still long distance.

However, I trust him. Knowing him, any girl who would hit on him probably would be turned down because of me, but also because he had a lot of studying to do. Heh. I still believe that I'm the only girl who he will ever put before studying.

"This sucks," I sighed as I opened the door to my lonely apartment. However, when I opened it, I was in for a surprise. The door opened before my fingertips and there sat a red envelope, which said my name in Baralai's cursive handwriting.

"A mushy poem," I commented to nobody in particular. "Very cliché, but it's sweet." I slid a finger under the seal, pulled out a piece of plain paper, and read the poem.

_Dear Paine,_

_Happy Valentine's Day. I know that I'm unable to be there with you, but I swear I'll make it up to you this weekend. For now, though, I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me. Every weekend, since you and everyone else transferred to Zanarkand, I have made a trip, alone, in a car for two and a half hours by myself. I stay with you on Saturday, and then I leave after dinner on Sunday. Then I drive two and a half hours back home. _

_Our senior year in highschool we were pushed through way too much drama; most of it belonging to our friends, of course. Regardless, countless people have asked me on dates since then. I always turn them down, because there's no one for me except you. I want to make you a promise, Paine. No matter who asks me, no matter what, I will always say no. No matter how often we're apart, this is where I'll be: wishing I were with you. And when I am with you, I'm the happiest man in Spira. I love you forever._

_Love,_

_Baralai_

"What mush," I said as a smile spread across my face. I laughed softly and held the letter close to my heart.

* * *

**Lulu's Point of View**

"Waffles," I sighed happily as I took a bite. I had woken up that morning to the smell of waffles, bacon, and eggs. It was a good day, and another tradition of ours. Wakka woke up slightly earlier, made waffles, eggs, and bacon, and then brought them on a tray to my room where we would eat on my bed and watch a movie of his choice.

I want to explain the layout of the apartment quickly. There are two small bedrooms, one mine and one his, a small kitchen, and a sitting room/ living room. Of course there are two bathrooms.

"Good job, Wakka," I smiled softly. "What movie is it this time?"

"Pan's Labyrinth." (A/N: I don't own that movie. I just saw it a few days ago, and it's the only non-chick-flick movie I can think of right now.)

I may mention now that the movies Wakka and I like to watch are not romantic, and sometimes have no romance at all. Action movies, sci-fi, and fantasy are much more entertaining to us. Apologies if that seems unusual, but that's just how we've always done it.

"Isn't that movie entirely in Spanish?"

"I didn't know it the first time I saw it, ya? But, yeah, it's in Spanish. There're subtitles."

"Good; I took French in highschool."

"I know. You used to talk in French when you didn't want me to understand you," he said as he sat back onto a pillow and picked up a fork.

We sat watching the movie, sometimes making comments about a scene or a line, both of us closing our eyes when it got very gruesome, pausing occasionally for bathroom breaks and popcorn re-fills. When Pan's Labyrinth was over, Wakka popped the DVD out and stood up.

"Hey, Lu?"

"Mm?"

"I have a question for you."

"So? Ask it."

"It's… well…" He pulled out a box from his back pocket. My breath halted in my throat. A proposition? From Wakka? Tears of surprise and happiness sprung to the corners of my eyes.

"A promise ring, Lu. When we're through with college, I'm going to buy you a house. It will be a small one at first, but when I'm more stable, I'll buy you a bigger one. And when I've saved enough to buy you that house, that's when I'm gonna propose to you, ya? So, until then… wear this one!"

I nodded fervently, almost numb with excitement as he removed the silver ring from the black velvet box and slipped it onto my right ring finger. I held it our to admire it. The diamond sparkled in the light, winking its happiness into the air.

"I love you, Lu," Wakka said quietly.

I smiled and answered, "I love you, too."

* * *

**Lenne's Point of View**

"We're lucky that Raine has no love life," commented Shuyin from across the table at the restaurant. I love to eat out.

"Why's that?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, it's a surprise for the most part, but since she's got nothing to do today, she agreed to pick up Em from Calli's house and watch her overnight, leaving me the whole day—and night—to treat you."

"Well that _is_ good fortune," I said with a sly grin. "Of course… I'm hoping you didn't mention her lack of a love life while asking her for this favor?"

"I haven't been that heartless since our junior year in highschool."

"It's so vivid in my mind," I teased, "I guess it got mixed up."

He rolled his eyes and stole a piece of bacon from my plate. I sent my husband a look that said 'get your own, jerk' but he just laughed. Some things never change—like stealing food from each other's plate, for example.

"Are you planning something secret and romantic?" That would be something he would do.

"Aren't I always?" That smug way of talking is also something he would definitely do.

"I guess." I stole a piece of toast from his plate and laughed.

We spent the rest of the day talking and laughing, and I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Later, closer to dinner time, he told me to dress up formally. I did as I was told, and reappeared in a slim dark green dress. Shuyin was wearing a nice suit.

He drove us to this glitzy restaurant.

"I had to book this table six months ago," he said.

"How did you know to book it so far in advanced?"

"Because last year," Shu explained, "I tried to get a spot booking a week in advanced and they told me they had filled up six months previously!"

I laughed at that. Shuyin grinned and looked at the menu.

We ate some food that I can't pronounce (it was delicious, though) and returned home. I looked at Emma room, dark in her absence, and then looked at my own room.

I have a family of my own. Even now, almost four years later, I still feel giddy about my life with Shuyin. It's a wonderful thing.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I whispered as he flicked off the light and we drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Tidus's Point of View**

Of course, I remembered what the candles were for. The whole memory just kind of struck me at about one in the afternoon. Yuna had gone to grab some coffee and study with her old roommate, Shelinda (obviously, Yuna had moved to our apartment once everyone had transferred)

I looked at the clock. It was four. Yuna would be back at six… two hours was just enough time to do what I needed to do. I reached for the phone.

"Hello?" answered the girl on the other end.

"Hey, Raine? I need your help with something… are you busy tonight?"

"Nope. Except Emma is sleeping over my room, but my roommate is helping me keep an eye on her."

"Good. I need to ask a favor of you…"

* * *

**Rikku's Point of View**

After breakfast at Yunie's, Gippal and I went downtown to see 'Wicked', which was totally awesome. (A/N: it is an awesome show. Go see it.)

The car ride was so fun. At every stoplight, we'd jump out of the car, run around it twice, and then jump back in before the light turned green again. He called it a Chinese Fire drill. I called it awesome.

After the show, we got dinner at a little café, and then we came home.

"Thanks for today," I said.

"It's what I do," Gippal said. "Nothing like a story about misfits who get hated and exiled for trying to be good to watch on Valentine's Day

"It was also a love story! You saw how it ended!"

He laughed, and I laughed, too. It was a good show, and he knew it.

"_Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight…"_ he started to sing a song from the musical very softly in my ear, "_I need help believing you're here tonight…"_

I picked up the next line and hugged him back. "_My wildest dreaming could not foresee lying beside you, with you wanting me…"_

"Hell yes I do," Gippal whispered.

"_And just for this moment, as long as you're mine…"_

_"_I'm always yours, Ri."

* * *

**Yuna's Point of View**

"Bye, Shelinda," I waved goodbye to my friend as she returned the dorms where I had lived for part of freshman year. With a shake of my head I sighed. I remembered everything Tidus didn't.

"About five years with him" I muttered into the air. "Nearly five years of this bliss." I turned and walked towards the on-campus apartments where I lived when I saw Tidus running towards me.

"Yuna! Let's go out to dinner!" he exclaimed. "I have a surprise for you!"

"Okay, but where are we going?" I asked.

"Italian restaurant! Come on!"

And so he grabbed my hand and ran towards the parking garage where his deathtrap was kept on campus and off we flew.

"Why the rush?" I called above the roar of the engine as the machine beneath me sped across the road.

"No reason."

"Okay," I said, more to myself than anyone.

Dinner was nice. It didn't seem like anything particularly special, but a nice Valentine's Day dinner. And then we drove home. Tidus pulled me across the courtyard.

"What is going on!?" I exclaimed, breathless from his excited running.

"You'll see, Yuna, you'll see!" He was like a kid in a candy store. I didn't understand until he opened the door to our apartment.

"That's weird… I thought I left all the lights on," I muttered, removing my scarf and boots.

I walked into the kitchen area, distributed my coat and hat onto the small counter and stools. I turned around.

"Hey, Tidus, pass me your… huh?" His outside gear had been tossed onto the couch hurriedly. "Tidus…?"

I walked cautiously, glancing around, before I reached the bedroom.

"Yevon," I breathed. The room was coated in small candles, all small and lit, transforming the room into a glowing, warm wonderland. The flames all winked at me and suddenly went out. With a gasp, I spun. Tidus was standing with a cocky grin, having switched on the fan and blowing all the candles out.

"You remembered?" I whispered.

"Yeah," he murmured back. "I win the bet."

"That's okay."

For a moment, the only thing audible was the quiet spinning of the fan from above our heads. I stepped forward hesitantly and wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my lips against his. The kissing quickly became hungry, more fervent. Tidus held me tightly. Then, his grip loosened and his hands slid down to the small of my back, gripping at the end of my shirt.

He pulled it off quickly, and I slid a hand up his shirt. His chest was muscular and firm, and he shuddered ever so slightly as my fingertips grazed his skin.

I worked the shirt off of him carefully and it was discarded onto the carpet beside my own abandoned sweater.

We somehow moved back towards the bed, our lips never parting. I couldn't breathe; I didn't care.

Tidus broke the kiss and moved his mouth up towards my ear, scraped his teeth against my earlobe, earning a soft moan from me, and then left a wet trail of kisses down to my collarbone, where he left a mark.

"Tidus," I murmured feverishly. I lifted a hand and reached for his waist, brushing against the growing bulge in his pants. He moaned against my neck.

We practically ripped his pants off, adding to our growing pile of clothing that littered the floor. He moved back up to my mouth and ran his tongue passionately across my lips, which I parted.

He tasted the inside of my mouth and I pressed my palms against his back. I felt him run his hands down my sides and Tidus unhooked the button on my jeans.

He slipped his hand under the waistline, pulling the garment off and rubbing the outside of my thigh, making me moan into his mouth.

Underwear followed soon after. I arched my back as he dove his tongue into my bellybutton, rubbing the inside of my upper leg with a feather touch.

I ran my fingers over his chest, enjoying the groans I got in response. He glanced up at me.

"Ready?" I heard him say. I nodded vehemently. He readied himself at my entrance and thrusted. I screamed. He went again, slowly.

"Tidus!" I cried. I ran my fingers through his hair, wishing deeply that I had something to grab onto. He went again, harder this time, hitting the core. I screamed again, reaching my climax, and then falling back onto the bed. Tidus was not done yet, though. He went again, and at this point I was numb with pleasure. He called my name as he reached his own peak, and then he collapsed on top of me.

"I love you," he whispered. "No matter what happens."

"Promise?" I muttered.

"Definitely."

* * *

Sahrah: OKAY, THAT'S DONE; YOU ALL GOT WHAT YOU WANTED! NO MORE TALKING, I'M TOO **_ASHAMED_**. 

Editor: Or retarded.

Sahrah: ((refusing to speak))

Editor: ((sigh)) Okay, then, fine. Your _mature_ and _sophisticated_ Authoress would be very happy if you were to tell her that this did not, in fact, suck eggs as she is convinced it does. And she wants to thank you for reading. See you all next month!


	5. Making Faces In The Mirror

Sahrah: This chapter is dedicated to MATT because he said he needed a good fanfic to read, which made me happy, and he's a guy, which is rare for highschool fics, so I was even happier. Thanks, dude! I don't really know what to say about the chapter… it's a filler… but it's good! I promise! Don't eat me!

Editor: Don't freaking tell them! Agh.

Sahrah: Well they knew it was coming. And so did you, bitch. (Why am I so cruel to my wonderful Editor?) Anywho, it seems as though your Authoress has finally remembered that she has other characters and their problems to address. I believe this chapter will deal with… let's see… Raine, because I've neglected my cute little OC (she seems immature, and it's because she's based on me when I've been eating sugar), and of course Squall, because I let that subject die regardless of the fact that it was stated… I don't own "Chasing Cars" or any character except Raine and the chick behind the Starbucks counter. Raine's point of view.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Making Faces in the Mirror**

Okay, so, there's lots of drama with this bunch of people. This kind of thing didn't even happen in high school, and in the snowy school of Gagazet Highschool West, there was plenty of drama. Like, for instance, one time I liked this guy, but he liked my other friend, and she liked him, so I gave up on that and pushed them together instead, and it worked. Also, my other friends had all kinds of issues that were both dramatic and kind of fun to watch. I've seen plenty of movies, but I didn't honestly believe how dramatic highschool was until I got there.

Now, here's college. I'm like 'yay, no more overactive dramatics!' But noooooo. So much drama it's insane. My one friend has a crazy stalker who murders her teacher to give her a message _in the dead guy's blood_ and then the same stalker beats the crap out of her boyfriend, and then he (the boyfriend, not the stalker) gets a concussion, then he can't remember anything since their senior year of highschool.

Oh boy. When does the real world start?

All these things I was pondering to myself as I strolled down the hallway on Sunday afternoon. For spring break, I had been abandoned (everyone else went home for the week, and the trip for me to go home was just too far) so I was stuck at the ol' college, bored like a crazy person. And they'd only left that morning, too.

'Kay, so, I'm there, but there's nothing to do, since there's only a few people still on campus. I opened the door to the courtyard, when I looked at the bench and saw Squall walking to it.

I waved weakly at him. I'm not normally shy, especially not when I like a guy, but with him I was lost for words. Squall Leonhart. Hehe.

He nodded and went towards the bench

"Can I sit here?" I asked.

Squall glanced over at me and nodded, then sat down on the bench with his sketchbook open. He pulled out a pencil (specially made for drawing, very fancy).

Curiously, I shuffled over to gaze down over his shoulder.

His picture was fantastic.

It was a scene drawn from his dorm room facing the courtyard. It was from a month ago, when it had snowed at night, and the dorm lights had illuminated the sparkling wonderland in different shades of color. I looked at the picture closer, and I gasped.

That night, I had gone out to play in the snow. I had wanted to build a snowman, and Rikku was going to help, but she ended up not because she had auditions. So I had gone out to build a man of snow by myself.

And there in the sketch, in the courtyard near the cherry blossom tree, was a silhouette of a small person with a hat and a scarf. The person also had a mitten on one hand, and an actual glove on the other.

And as far as I remember, I'm the only person who does that.

Squall smirked and chuckled to himself, waking me out of my trance. "Don't you know it's rude to look over someone's shoulder like that?" he asked.

"S-sorry… but wow, that's so good!"

"Thanks," Squall said. "Is that you in the sketch?"

"Shouldn't you know? It's your own work."

"I don't know half of the people I draw. I just draw them. You were there in the scene, and it looked funny without that person. A less endearing picture. Kind of empty."

I blushed. "Th-thanks, I guess."

"It wasn't a compliment."

"Well, thank you just the same."

He glanced up with a frown. "Hey, do you have a watch?"

I looked at the red numbers on my digital watch. "It's 1:27."

He stood up, making me feel very tiny very quickly. I'm not very tall (I'm only five feet and two inches) and Squall is (I later found out) 5'8".

"You're tall," I complained.

"You're short," he replied. Then, Squall started to walk away.

"H-hey, where're you going!?" I cried.

"To grab some coffee."

"Can I come? I want coffee."

For the record, I don't drink coffee.

"I don't date freshman."

I kind of exploded… just a little bit.

"Okay, wow. Did you just say that? I heard _that_ all through _highschool._ If you're going to act like that, then just head on back to senior year. And who called it a date, huh? I'm DEFINITELY coming now, you jerk."

Squall groaned, stuffed his sketchbook into his bag, and walked away. I ran after him. I mean, come on, opportunities like this don't just _happen_ every day.

"So what's your goal? Your major?" I asked, almost jogging to keep up with his long stride.

"Art. I like art."

"What kind of art? I like graphic art myself. You know, computer, video games, that stuff."

"Painting, drawing, sketching."

"So you're going to be an artist? Neat."

"I'll be an artist if I ever get the opportunity." And then the conversation was over. He didn't tell me to leave, so it didn't matter. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke.

"And what about you? What career are you aiming for?"

"I'm studying to be a veterinarian," I told him.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. So, um, how're we getting to town?"

"Well I'M driving in my car," he said as he steered towards a sleek black '07 Corvette with its top down. I ran over to the passenger seat and hopped in. He scowled.

"Outta the car!" Squall exclaimed.

"But I don't wanna!" I pretended to whine, and for a minute he just stared at me, part of him pissed off, part of him surprised, and the rest of him not caring because he really just wanted coffee.

"Fine, but you'd better not talk too much," he groaned as he popped the trunk and threw his bag into the back. The car purred to life and the radio started blasting Snow Patrol into the parking garage.

"I love this song!" I grinned, singing the parts I knew and humming the parts I didn't all the way into the heart of Zanarkand City.

_We'll do it all  
Everything  
On our own_

"Welcome to Starbucks, can I help you?" said the peppy highschool blonde behind the counter. She said it to both of us, but she quite obviously directed it towards Squall, who was of course not paying much attention.

_We don't need  
Anything  
Or anyone_

"A grande brewed coffee."

"Decaf?"

"If I wanted decaf, I would have said so."

"Right, um… cream? Sugar?"

"No," Squall said with a monotone voice.

I snorted. What boring coffee. However, he just laughed at me.

_If I lay here_

"This is YOURS, Raine," he said. "Now, I want—"

"HEY!" I laughed, pushing him away from the counter playfully, leaving the girl looking kind of confused. "Ignore him, that's not what either of us want to drink. I'll have a strawberry banana Frappuchino crème… um… Grande size, please!"

The girl behind the counter nodded, pleased to have a less angry order to put in, typing quickly.

_If I just lay here_

Squall ordered some kind of vanilla latte thing and we sat down, me still laughing, and him having an odd little half-smile on his face.

"Don't do that again!" I managed to get out between peals of laughter.

"Who said I'd even have the chance?" he countered.

"Me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. So… are you stuck here over break, too?" I cocked my head to the side and took a drink from the sugary liquid.

"Mmhmm. I'm from Besaid, so it's a long trek just for one week of annoying family members. And you?"

"Mount Gagazet! The skiing and snowboarding up there is the _tops!"_

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

"Literally, I'm sure," Squall commented.

"Yeah, the school is halfway up the mountain; our town is a quarter way down, so we'd have to snowboard to and from school."

He graced me with a rare smile. "That sounds pretty cool."

"Oh my Yevon, yes it was! I'm a boarder myself, but most of my friends went skiing."

"Wasn't it hard to have your backpack with the board?"

I laughed. "Well, we had a system where everything we needed was at school, and homework was submitted over the computer. It was SO FRIGGIN' AWESOME."

Squall and I sat and talked for like two hours. Before I knew it, it was 5:00, and the gates to the college would be closed, and we would be stuck until 6:30 the next morning. So, we hopped into the car and drove off towards the University.

_I don't quite know_

_How to say__  
How I feel_

The next day, I woke up around twelve, and hung around until 1 in my room. But, it was a totally nice day outside, so I got dressed and walked outside to the courtyard. So imagine my surprise when Squall's by the outside door.

"Whatcha doin'?" I asked curiously.

"Waiting for _you_, you lazy moron," he retorted.

"Hey, no need to be mean! Sheesh. Why are you waiting for me?"

"Well you said yesterday not to order your coffee for you next time, so I figure I'd better bring you along."

I blinked. Part of me was all like '_Dude it's like a date'_ and wanted to spaz like a crazy person, but of course, being the coughmaturecough college student I am, it felt like a better idea to just nod

_Those three words  
Are said too much  
They're not enough_

That's how the next week was spent; with Squall at the Starbucks. He's really an interesting person; his dad wasn't too happy about the artist thing, his mom was all for it, and the two parents were divorced. His dad had remarried and had another son who is Squall's polar opposite, so he's happy in the end. Anyway, it was Sunday again, and everyone was coming back the next day.

I looked all over the school for Squall, but I couldn't find him. It was pretty rude to ditch me. Then again, it wasn't as though we really _planned_ coffee, but still! Come on!

_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

With a defeated sigh, I marched back up to my apartment. My feelings were hurt, and I felt a little stupid. But when I reached for the door, I noticed an envelope taped to the handle.

It was the picture of me in the snow, now completed, with color. With a blush creeping up my face, I pulled the rest of the envelope off the door. There was a blue sticky note behind it. It had Squall's crappy handwriting, and it said, "_to my muse."_

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

"What's a muse?" I wondered out loud.

"It means inspiration," supplied a grumpy voice from behind me.

"S-Squall? What's this then?"

"I finished the picture," he said, retaining his poker face. No one would ever beat him at cards, that's for sure.

_Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life_

_"_I see that, but what's with the sticky?"

"It's there because it's true." Squall stepped forward. I took half a step back.

"Umm… can I… keep this picture?"

"You have to pay for it." I stared at him incredulously.

"Damned 'starving' artists," I grumbled. "How much would you even charge for this one?"

_Let's waste time  
Chasing cars  
Around our heads_

"Let me think," he muttered as he took another step towards me. What the heck was he doing? Another step.

_I need your grace  
To remind me  
To find my own_

"I'll bargain with you, hmm? How about ten bucks?"

"It's worth more than that." He was standing pretty damned close to me at this point. Personal space anyone?

"It's just a sketch. I'll pay like fifteen at the most, quite honestly. I'm a starving college student too, ya know."

"And what if I didn't want any money?"

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

"What, you want my _watch_ or something? Name your price, Squall."

He looked at me, then at the picture, then at me again. For a moment he looked like he was about to say something, but his eyes looked scared for half a second and he closed his mouth again.

_Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life_

"Say it, or I'm taking the sketch and leaving."

He gave me a funny look somewhere between sneaky and embarrassed. Possibly both.

"Can I whisper it?"

"What are you, four years old?" I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Whisper it."

He leaned down (damn his tallness) and said something I couldn't hear. I asked him to repeat it, but he didn't say it any louder, and I shook my head.

"Louder," I commanded.

_All that I am  
All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see_

He glared at me with his icy blue eyes. "Fine," he hissed.

And then he kissed me.

At first, I didn't even realize what was happening, because it was like an 'ohmyYevon' kind of moment, but then I pulled my head away in shock. It wasn't like I didn't totally want to kiss him, 'cuz I totally did, but I did not see that one coming.

"Too expensive?" He said it very quietly. Was he… embarrassed? Did I hurt his feelings or something? I took a moment to collect myself, then leaned towards him.

"Too cheap."

_I don't know where  
Confused about how as well  
Just know that these things will never change for us at all_

Squall's eyes met mine. I frowned.

"Lean down, you dolt," I exclaimed. "You're way too tall."

He graced me with a smile. "You're way too short."

Squall kissed me again, and quite possibly the entire world stopped moving, not like I cared.

_If I lay here_

"Wanna go grab some coffee?" Squall stepped back and asked casually.

"It's dinnertime," I pointed out.

"Dinner, then?"

"Sure. But, not like it's a date."

He looked hurt.

I smirked at him, "Sorry, I don't date juniors."

_If I just lay here_

He gave me a half-smile. "Well I don't date freshman."

"So then what do we do?"

"I suppose there's an exception for every rule, isn't there?"

I linked my arm with his. "And no one said it was a date."

"Maybe I did," he said.

"Well then that would make it… dating, wouldn't it?"

"I guess I can make an exception."

I grinned. "Me, too." Sadly, though, the date was cut short. Just my luck. Everyone got back earlier than expected. Wouldn't Rikku be surprised?

* * *

Sahrah: Eww, it's so incredibly Mary-Sue. 

Editor: Then why the hell did you bother?

Sahrah: Well, I felt bad, because Raine was a total monkey-slave on Valentine's Day, and I wanted to make it up to her. I mean, come on, she babysat overnight _and_ set up the candles so that Tidus could get laid.

Editor: Can't argue with that logic. The chapter's title is completely irrelevant to the chapter though.

Sahrah: Making faces at herself in the mirror is totally something Raine would do, don't you think?

Editor: I'm still sort of writhing in pain from the Mary-sue-ness of this character to think about her personality.

Sahrah: By the way, I'm doing a cameo later on; Raine's little sister is named Sahrah.

Editor: I hate you sometimes and in unspeakable ways.

Sahrah: Aww. (If anyone thinks I should totally not do a cameo, just give me the heads up, 'cuz if it's way to MS, then I won't bother. R&R!) See you next month!


	6. Birthday Recollections

Sahrah: I'M SO SORRY! GOMEN! GOMEEEEEEEENNN! ((bows))

Editor: ((sigh)) You've already been forgiven fifteen times, Sahrah-chan! Let it go!

Sahrah: B-but, as it turned out, it was my fault the internet wasn't working! I broke my internet chip! WAAH! And the chapter's shorter than normal! ((runs around apologizing to all the readers))

Editor: ((deep sigh)) Oy… Yuna's point of view…

**Chapter 6: Birthday Recollections**

"Are you ready to leave yet?" I asked, annoyed, as I shoved the suntan lotion into the beach bag.

It had been Gippal and Wakka's idea to take a day trip down to Kilika, a trip similar to the one we'd taken four years previous, because this particular Saturday was the birthday of Tidus and Shuyin.

"Slow down, Yunie, the beach isn't going anywhere," Tidus grinned, kissing my cheek as we walked through the parking garage where Rikku's oversized van was parked. It was to everyone's surprise that the thing hadn't died years ago, after all the trips we'd taken in it.

"Everyone's already waiting," I complained. He just laughed. The trunk was already open when we got to the car.

Wakka and Lulu were putting a cooler into the trunk, Rikku was sitting with her bare feet on the steering wheel, and Gippal sat next to her complaining about it. Lenne held a sleeping Emma while Shuyin fit a child's seat into the middle row of seats. Paine was listening to music with one side of the headphones, and Baralai (who had driven down the night before) had the other earpiece. Rikku waved at Tidus and me from the driver's seat.

"Ready for the boardwalk, everyone?" she asked with a grin. Half the day would be spent at the actual beach in the water. For lunch, we'd find a place on the boardwalk, and then spend the rest of the day at the amusement park attached to that boardwalk.

"Whee!" giggled Emma, who had woken up.

Soon enough, we were well on our way. Tidus, who had remembered the trip we took four years previous, spent most of the trip pulling on my braid with me attempting to read a book for my art class.

When we arrived, Rikku parked the car with her feet (much to Lenne and Lulu's dismay) and we surprisingly got to the beach unscathed. Gippal scooped up Rikku bridal-style and bolted down to the water, with my cousin flailing and laughing loudly.

Soon, Lulu and Wakka went to look for seashells, Shuyin and Lenne took Emma down to the sea, and Paine and Baralai set up a spot with the umbrellas, chairs, and towels.

Tidus looked over at me and grinned.

"Wanna go swimming?" he asked.

"I'm always afraid I'll get pulled out to sea," I admitted. "I'm not a strong swimmer, like you, you Blitz freak."

"Aw, come on, let's go out! I won't let you get pulled out."

"Promise?"

"Yeah." I smiled softly at him and slipped out of my shorts, then pulling my shirt over my head.

I was wearing a light pink bikini with rhinestones on the top piece, and the ribbon in my braid was the same color as the suit. I caught Tidus running his eyes up and down real fast- as well as a few other guys on the beach.

Of course, then it was my turn, as Tidus pulled off his white tee shirt, revealing his handsome, muscular chest. In the sunlight, he possibly resembled some kind of god. Yevon, he was gorgeous.

"Stop checking me out, Yuna, let's go swimming," he teased me as he grabbed my hand and raced towards the water, laughing. We ran out until we couldn't stand anymore, and treaded water as the waves crashed down on us.

He kept his promise, holding me close to him, not letting go regardless of how strong the wave was.

"So, how much do you remember from our last trip here?" I asked in between waves.

"Some guy was hitting on you at the park, and you completely shut him down… and there was something about taking the trash out…" he trailed off, and I froze.

If he remembered that now, he would very likely grow incredibly angry, and at that point it could be frightening.

"Oh Yevon," he whispered. "You… Dona… ah… that was the night we found out Lenne was pregnant, and Dona had her brother beat the shit out of you!" Tidus hissed through his teeth, clamping down on his anger.

"And then, um… That's all I've got," he provided lamely.

"That's okay, Tidus," I smiled, kissing his cheek, now salty with the ocean's water. "I'm here now, right? And so are you."

He smiled, hugging me tighter. "Yeah."

* * *

"Lunchtime, lunchtime, where shall we eat?" Rikku made up her own little melody.

"Wherever it is, we have to have boardwalk French fries, ya?" Wakka said. "Nuthin' beats those things."

"Agreed," said Shuyin.

"So what, then?" asked Paine. "Maybe burgers, _fries,_ and soda or whatever."

"Works for me," shrugged Gippal.

So, that's what we had for lunch. Followed, of course, by ice cream, popcorn, and cotton candy as we walked down towards the boardwalk amusement park. Shuyin and Lenne and their daughter went off towards the tamer, child-friendly rides, and Rikku and Paine bolted for the roller coasters. Their boyfriends followed, although Baralai looked slightly queasy.

Lulu and Wakka stayed with us, though, and we hung out together for a while. We traveled around, went on the swing ride that lifts the swings high into the air, and went to play some games.

"Aww, Lulu, look at that chocobo plushie!" I squealed. "I want it so bad!" It was a plushie that was fairly large, with bright blue eyes and soft yellow fabric.

"I'll win it for you, Yuna!" Tidus grinned. The game was simple; knock over the bottles with baseballs. Of course, Tidus lost the first time, but he paid again and won the bird.

"Whee! Thanks, Tidus! You're the best!" I kissed his cheek.

"And that all I get to show for it? A kiss on the cheek?" he snorted.

"You're arrogant! But you're right, of course." I stood on my toes and kissed his lips softly, and he kissed back, his lips hungry from deprivation. Wakka glanced at Lulu.

"If I win one of those for ya—"

"Not until later," the black mage replied without looking back at her boyfriend, a playful smirk gracing her lips.

I wrapped my arms around Tidus's neck as he slipped his tongue into my mouth and hugged me tighter. Lulu made a sort of grunting noise, but after being ignored, she and Wakka left to ride the Scrambler.

I moved my lips next to Tidus's ear.

"I love you," I breathed softly.

"Right back at ya."

* * *

It was about six thirty, and the sun had almost completely set behind the long boardwalk apartments. We had all met back up about half an hour previous, and Rikku wanted to ride the Ferris wheel before we left.

Which is why we waited in line as all the neon lights in the park for twenty minutes, eventually watching Rikku and Gippal get into a yellow cart lit up with orange lights, then Lulu and Wakka get into a blue cart with white lights, then Paine and Baralai into a green cart with red lights, and Lenne, Shuyin, and Emma into another blue cart with white lights. Finally, Tidus helped me into a red cart with blue lights and the ride ascended up the long 165-foot trip into the night sky.

"We're so high up!" I exclaimed, leaning over just enough to see the glittering ocean spread out below us, along with the fabulous view of the rest of the park.

"Beautiful," Tidus breathed.

"It really is," I agreed."

"Well, sure the view's nice, but I was talking about you."

I turned to look at him, but he, being faster than I, was already on my side of the cart. He pressed a tender hand to my cheek.

"So beautiful," he murmured. I blushed, leaning against his hand, enjoying his warmth. "I can't believe I forgot four year's worth of this face."

"I forgive you," I whispered.

"It's not a matter of forgiveness, Yuna… It's a matter of making up for lost time." He leaned forward and his lips met mine, kissing hungrily, his hands on my back holding me close, fingers itching for my bare skin. I shivered, not from cold, but with excitement as I responded, kissing greedily, my hands lost in his golden hair.

The cart gave a small lurch that detached the two of us as we stopped at the very top of the wheel. The moon was full, and someone on the beach was setting off fireworks.

"Oh, that's right!" I exclaimed. "The reason we took this trip! Happy Birthday, Tidus!" I hugged him tightly and he kissed me again, as the fireworks exploded distantly.

Everything was perfect. Almost too perfect. It was just as well, of course, because the next day, everything would go horribly wrong.

I won't get into the gruesome, bloody, awful details until next time, but I will tell you this; more people would die before it was finally the month of May.

* * *

Sahrah: Whew, it's all written, and YES there will be another update at the end of the month! I already know what I'm doing for it, and the school play will be done in two weeks, my sister's Bat Mitzvah is done this weekend, and then I will not miss another update probably until next September. So, thank you for your patience!

Editor: Oh yeah, your random fact, Sahrah-chan!

Sahrah: Right! I wanted the Ferris wheel to be tall, but not too tall, so I researched it. And in my studies, I discovered that the world's tallest Ferris wheel is 531 feet tall, and it's in Nanchang, China. The wheel, appropriately, is named 'The Star of Nanchang.'

Editor: If you haven't already done so, please review!


	7. All Around You

Sahrah: Well, finally, school's out, so maybe I can update twice a month! Or, um, three times every five weeks… or, um, two in six, or uh… More often, okay!?

Editor: ((sigh)) Sahrah-chan doesn't own the music (this chapter's song belongs to Flyleaf) anything else besides Raine and the plotline. **Yuna's Point of View**

Sahrah: There's a plotline!?

**Chapter 7: All Around You**

The day after our trip to Kilika was a rainy one. Tidus had gone to the library to study for finals, and I was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner. Someone knocked on the door, so I wiped my hands on a dishrag and answered it.

Ray stood at the door, looking both miserable and livid at the same time. He was trembling, from anger, and in his clenched hand, he held a big kitchen knife.

"R-Ray," I could barely stammer. I knew he was a killer. I had known all along. And I was scared. "Ray, put the knife down—"

"I warned you, Yuna. I warned you and I warned _Watanuki_. I warned you both. And, now, I've finally lost my patience. I am tired of _waiting, Yuna!_" he snarled my name between his teeth, and then lunged at me, barely missing.

"Get a hold of yourself!" I tried to reason with him. But no one can reason with a madman.

"I'VE GOT A HOLD OF MYSELF!" he bellowed, lunging again, slashing part of my arm as I bolted past him into the hallway.

"HELP!" I screamed as I ran from him. I tried every door along the way; all of them were locked. Ray was gaining on me. Finally, a door opened! But I looked; it was a utility closet. As I turned to try and keep running, an angry, violent foot shoved me into the closet where I crashed into a stack of mops and brooms. I saw him glaring at me with vicious eyes as I leapt for the door, only to fall against it.

"Let me out!" I wailed fruitlessly. "Let me out of here!"

"I'm sorry it had to be this way," I heard him state coldly. I kicked the door; it wouldn't budge.

"RAY! LET ME OUT OF HERE! LET ME OUT!" I screamed and kicked and pounded that door until finally, I sank into an exhausted fetal position, crying away what little energy remained. Eventually, I passed out.

**Tidus's Point of View**

I had come home from the library with my arms full of books. Sadly, I later was forced to pay a handsome fee on the damage of these books, because as I walked into the apartment, they fell from my arms with a deafening clatter. Ray sat calmly on my couch, twirling a butcher knife on his left hand.

"Tidus," he greeted me.

"Where is Yuna?" I whispered gravely.

"Aren't you glad to see me?"

"WHERE THE HELL IS YUNA!?" I cried angrily.

"Where indeed…" Ray mused.

"You son-of-a-bitch! Where is she!?" Ray stood up slowly.

"She ran faster than I figured she would," he said.

"Wh-what?"

"Sadly, though, the only path she found open was actually a dead end… a utility closet. Where she is now, though… I'll let you know if you're willing to play a little game. A challenge, if you will."

My temper flared and I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Don't you fuck with me, you bastard! Where is Yuna!?" I snarled in his face. He remained blasé.

"Kill me if you want," he shrugged. "But if you do, you'll _never_ find your girl."

I glared at him, waves of fury coming off of me as I released him slowly. "What's the challenge?" I asked numbly.

"Think of it as a scavenger hunt," Ray enthused. "I've got the first clue in this bag right here. Once you acquire all the pieces, I'll call your cell phone from Yuna's phone. Hold onto the clues, though, because you never know when you'll need them…"

"Why don't you start making some sense?" I snarled.

"Now for the rules," he continued. "The first rule is that you can't call the police, the dean of the school, or any other person who can arrest or expel another. If you do, I will kill Yuna. The second rule is that you may seek help from all of your friends, but only four may accompany you to the final destination. If you break this rule, I will kill Yuna. These are the only two rules. Besides that, it's all up to you."

I bit my bottom lip. "Give me the first item." Ray held out the bag.

Inside was the long braid that in any other circumstance I'd be delighted to see. The braid, which normally adorned Yuna's head, had been severed from the rest of her.

"Oh, one more rule! You have thirty hours to complete this." Ray then left the room. And I had no choice but to let him.

**Yuna's Point of View**

I woke up in a dark room, at which point several things became apparent. The first two things were that I was tied to a hard chair, probably wood or plastic, and that there was a blindfold over my eyes. Another thing I noticed was that my long braid was gone. I noticed this because my fingers were free and I could wiggle them enough to know. I had been considering cutting it off, but that was just plain rude.

I heard a door nearby open, and then shut. Hands too dainty to be Ray's or Tidus's removed the blindfold, and I was then face to face with a beautiful blonde girl with enticing periwinkle eyes. She had an odd sort of half smile, and she didn't look like she was helping me. Oh, no. Her alluring eyes gave me the feeling that something very bad was about to happen.

"Erm… uh… hi?" I asked stupidly.

She nodded. "Hello, Yuna. Did you have a nice nap?"

"Eh…" I shrugged. Talk about awkward.

"Huh. In any case, my name is Marza, and I am Ray's older sister." I rolled my eyes; how much more unlucky could my situation get?

"Well, seeing as how you already know _my_ name, let's stop the chitchat. Are you here to help me or not?"

Marza raised an eyebrow. "My intentions, Miss Lesca, are to help my brother either kill or dismember a certain Tidus Watanuki and whoever else your boyfriend asks for help, and then I intend to leave my brother to do as he likes with you, because I will have paid him back the favor I owe him. I take absolutely no pleasure in this, and if it were up to me, Ray would be in jail and you and Tidus could be happy doing whatever. Seeing as this is not the case, I am _not_ here to help you, and I am _not_ going to be merciful in performing whatever task my brother chooses for me."

I shrugged. "Fair enough. Would you be so kind as to explain _WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?_"

"My brother had planned on killing your art professor, but instead has devised a rather interesting sort of scavenger hunt for Tidus Watanuki. The first clue, I apologize, was your braid. The next clue he will have to find is the pearl bracelet that Rikku Derinko gave to you for your birthday last year. Each clue has a connection between you and one of your friends. No doubt he will soon figure this out.

"All the clues have one letter somewhere in or on them. Once all the clues have been acquired, they can be rearranged to say "warehouse" at which point someone will have to realize there's a warehouse three miles from the school that is actually owned by my family. Consequently, the warehouse has been set up by as a big maze that is thick with booby traps; you'd think it was a video game."

I narrowed my eyes. "You can't win a game very well with just one life."

Marza looked sad. "Generally not. In any case, if he is still alive when he gets to the end, you go free, and my brother goes away."

"There is no way to prove that Ray will keep up his end of the bargain."

The blonde girl smiled very briefly. "If he does not keep his end of the bargain he's made with you, I will simply be forced to break mine with him. And if that happens, he won't have a choice but to let you go."

"May I ask what the deal you made with him is?" I asked.

Her smile vanished and her eyes turned cold. "Under no circumstances."

"Well… what happens if Tidus _does_… fail? I mean, I have complete faith in him, but that doesn't mean the slightest possibility… er… well—"

"If Tidus dies or fails to complete the task within the given time period, then Raymond will go far away and take you with him."

"Oh yeah?" I was angry now. "Didn't he consider that I'd fight back?"

"He has a gun trained on you with every move you make, Yuna."

"How's that?"

Marza didn't answer. Instead, she pulled out a handgun, looking sadder than before. "Because, much like you, I am a gunner."

**Tidus's Point of View**

"LULU, WAKKA, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM." I didn't waste any time calling my friends. Even someone like myself, who prefers not to involve others… well, I could recognize when help was necessary. Rikku and Gippal were at a practice (remember, they ended up getting the lead roles in the Phantom of the Opera from a few months back). Shu was picking up Emma from daycare, and Lenne was with Lulu. Paine was at a summer class, learning about some kind of brain surgery thing, and would be back in somewhere near fifteen minutes. Raine and Squall (who were quite possibly the components of the weirdest couple I could think of) were in Raine's dorm doing Yevon-knows-what (I'd have Lenne call them tactfully).

Baralai, of course, was two hours away working in a coffee shop in Bevelle. He would be coming to stay with the rest of the gang for the summer, arriving next week, but I'd have to call him immediately.

So, all my friends who were far too at ease with the constant drama in our lives, were not very startled when I burst in screaming. Lulu, being a quick judge of character, read my eyes and could see it wasn't the everyday crisis. No, Lulu's light brown (almost red) eyes scanned me quickly, and she knew.

"Where's Yuna?" she asked immediately.

"Ray has her," I answered stiffly. Wakka, who was in the adjoined kitchen, stuck his head out.

"How're we gonna get her back?" he inquired.

"A game," I hissed, dropping Yuna's braid onto the coffee table Lulu and Lenne were sitting in front of. Lenne clapped her hands to her face, and Lulu reached out to touch it gingerly. Wakka dropped the bowl of popcorn he'd been carrying.

"G-game?" Lenne whispered. "What do you mean, a game?"

"He told me it's a scavenger hunt. Every clue leads to the next, until the last one leads to wherever he's keeping Yuna. We navigate wherever that is, and then we get her back. Calling the police or bringing more than four others to the final location will result in her death. If it's not finished in thirty-six hours, he takes Yuna and no one ever sees either of them again."

"So let's start," Lulu said quietly.

"How?"

At that moment, Rikku and Gippal came in, with Paine in tow. Paine had a cup of coffee in her hand. Ten minutes after, Shuyin came in carrying a sleeping Emma.

And so I told everyone my story about how to save Yuna. But, as no one expected, Emma was the one who helped most.

She picked up Yuna's braid and began to unravel the ribbon. Lenne absently leaned down to stop her child, Emma looked right at me and said, "words."

"Huh?" Paine looked at the little girl's hands.

"Uncle Tidus! What are these words?" And, to be sure, I looked, too. On the opposite side of the ribbon, in handwriting that was easy to read but I didn't recognize, was a long series of words. Almost instantly, Paine's quiet and exacting fingers were unraveling the ribbon at an alarming rate until she'd reached the end as Emma smiled obliviously at everyone.

"What _does_ it say?" asked Rikku tentatively. Paine smoothed the ribbon out between her hands and read out loud, her voice more husky and rough than normal.

"Dear Diary. Books are fun, books are great, books I've had since before age eight! Search far, search wide, but don't forget to look up!"

Paine glanced up at everyone, tightening a fist around the long red ribbon. I looked at Gippal, who looked at Lulu, who looked at Wakka, who looked at Lenne, who shrugged. Then Rikku gasped loudly.

"Don't you remember when we were moving Yunie's stuff from her dad's house to Tidus and Shuyin's house!? Those books she grabbed from her old room! Where are they!? Tidus?"

I remembered that, suddenly, the memory piercing like a lighting bolt.

_Yuna stood looking wistfully at her bare ex-bedroom, holding a bunch of books in her arms. _

_"What books are you reading?" I asked, coming up behind her. "Let's see… Dr. Seuss… Berenstein Bears… Yuna, aren't these a little young for you?"_

_"My mother gave them to me," she said placidly. "I'll never leave them. Same as my moogle here, see? My dad brought it for me the night I was born."_

_I put a hand on Yuna's shoulder. I didn't say anything. I knew what it was like to lose your mother. Finding comfort in any item you could find, just hoping that these items would bring her back. Clinging to everything she ever had. And when the pain of 'she's never coming back' fades… you still cling to those items, even if you forget exactly why you cling to them._

"That's right! She did have those books when we moved!" Shuyin exclaimed, remembering briefly the childish books clutched in Yuna's arms, along with her moogle doll.

"Where are they?" asked Gippal.

"…Somewhere in my room!" I answered, thinking very hard, for that memory came slower, like looking at a blurry television.

"Can you remember anything specific?" asked Lulu.

"It's in the bedroom."

Rikku, Lulu, and Paine bolted for my dorm apartment, tearing into the bedroom. The drawers were raided, the closet was stripped, and Rikku crawled under the bed.

"He said to 'look up,'" Paine mused, glancing around. Her crimson eyes shot over to the tall dresser that at one point, Yuna just 'had to have' so we bought it. On the very top of it, she noticed, was a small box. She called Rikku over and lifted the blonde. Rikku snatched the box, and Paine lowered her back down.

Inside the box were the children's books that Yuna cherished so dearly, along with a white letter. I picked it up with shaking hands and opened it, letting the envelope fall to the floor, torn gracelessly. The letter was read out loud by Lulu.

"Can you remember that Christmas past, in the land of snow where nothing lasts? That icy place where spirits are free, but all we really did was ski. A present to show your adoration, although you have watch."

Rikku shook her head. "Umm, 'you have watch'? Grammar police! Maybe he means that movie we watched the first time we went to Paine's winter house together?"

Gippal bit his lip. "Why would he have mentioned the holidays, then? And he referred to a gift… T, what did Yuna give you that year?"

I lifted my right arm to scratch my head, thinking. Let's see… she gave me…

"That watch!" screamed Lenne suddenly, pointing at my raised wrist. "That silver watch! She gave you that watch, and you gave her a gold locket!"

"Right!" Rikku exclaimed. "And she kept it in her jewelry box, which I borrowed and forgot to give back… so it's in my room! Hey, wait, how the hell did he get into my room?" She shuddered, but bounded into her own room anyway and returned with the heart-shaped locket in her hands. Rikku popped it open.

The picture of Yuna and me that had been inside the necklace seemed to be replaced with a picture of a bulls-eye target.

"Her guns?" supplied Wakka. Paine went to the closet, where my favorite gunner kept her weaponry. Inside of the storage box was another letter, this one with a blue envelope. I opened it.

"A phone number," Shuyin remarked.

"So… call it!" Rikku declared.

"Okay…" I took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed as quickly as I could. The phone rang three times before a young woman answered it.

"Tidus." The woman was not Yuna, but she seemed to know exactly what to expect. Did Ray have an accomplice?

"Yes. Is this the next clue?"

"It is," the woman said. "My name is Marza. I am Ray's sister. I have Yuna here with me. I want to explain to you a few things before you panic. Yuna is perfectly safe; she has not and will not receive any drugs. You may speak to her for exactly two minutes if you wish to make a promise or say a last goodbye.

"Also, you have twenty-eight hours remaining to rescue Yuna Lesca. The easy part is over. I advise you to bring Yuna's guns along to the rest of your locations, as my brother has hired a team of people that are more than willing to kill because they are bored, because they can, or because it pays the bills. Any person you bring along should be armed. Also, since you will be leaving the school facility, you are now required to leave two of your friends in the school. This will leave you with a total of eight people."

I interrupted. "That will leave us with six, actually."

"Did you call on Raine Austre or Squall Leonhart? You have half an hour before that option is spent."

"Can you excuse me, please?"

"Certainly."

I turned to my friends. "Someone call Raine and her boyfriend!" I hissed. Instantly, Lulu's phone was out and calling our other friend's number.

"May I speak to Yuna before you continue?" For some reason, I felt completely possessed to be polite to the girl on the other end of the phone. She was holding my girlfriend captive, and very possibly stood on the line between Yuna's death and Yuna's survival, but I was compelled to say 'please' and 'thank you' and 'excuse me' for reasons I didn't understand myself.

"T-Tidus?" I heard Yuna's voice. She sounded worried, but not really scared.

"Yuna!" I said, overjoyed to hear her sweet words. She was alive.

"I'm okay, Tidus, really. Marza's nice, and she's only helping Ray because he did something for her or whatever. I can't help but believe her. But… please… don't give up. I… I don't want to stay here! She's a gunner, too, and is completely obedient to Ray! I want to go home…!" Yuna's breath caught in her throat as she pressed down a sob. So she was scared.

"Don't worry, Yuna. I'm coming. Just hold on." I head some shuffling around before Marza's voice reached me again.

"You should leave the locket and the ribbon, as well as the books. You won't need them. Your friend Baralai can be called, but since he won't be permitted to come later on, you might want to think very hard about whether or not you involve him. Keep in mind all of your friend's separate skills and family situations when making your choice. In case you were not aware, Raine Austre is an excellent martial artist and swordswoman, and Squall Leonhart wields a unique weapon called a Gunblade, which can act as a sword and a gun. He is an excellent fighter. Please think very hard. Your next clue is, 'Happy Halloween. It's very orange when angels dance.' I will be in contact with you, Tidus."

I closed the phone and repeated the clue. Raine arrived with her boyfriend in tow.

"Halloween? Orange? Are you talking about Tedward?" asked Raine curiously.

"What are you saying?" snorted Squall, looking skeptical.

"Tedward was the biggest pumpkin we could find. I named him, but Yuna, Rikku, and Paine went to pick him out. And for Halloween, Yuna dressed as an angel," explained the freshman, using her hands to illustrate needlessly.

"So the banquet hall, then?" asked Lulu.

"No," said Paine. "The woman said that the next place was off school grounds. The only other pumpkin-related place was at the farm where we got the pumpkin, and since it's off school grounds, that's got to be it."

"But we don't know what we're looking for there!" exclaimed Lenne.

"I'm sure it will become apparent quickly," answered Paine. "Any case, Shuyin and Lenne are not coming with us to the farm."

Shuyin jumped up from his seat on the bed. "What? Yuna's my… she's my sister! Of course I'm going!"

"What will you do if you get injured? What if you die? What if Lenne gets hurt or dies? You two have a young daughter. Your most important job is being parents. Understood? You stay here."

If there were anyone in all of Spira that you can trust to apply logic to a bad situation, it would have to be Paine.

"Would you leave your wife and child alone in the world?" added the warrior cruelly. Shuyin dropped his gaze, sitting back on the bed, defeated.

"I hate to take control of the situation like this," Paine continued (liar, you have no problem assuming control), "but I'm going to say this once, and not again. Tidus, Raine, Squall, Rikku, Gippal, Lulu, Wakka, and myself will be coming. I will be bringing my sword; Tidus will bring his sword and Yuna's guns. Raine, I hear you're handy with a sword."

"Katana, actually, but yeah," Rae spoke timidly.

"Fine. Squall, you have a Gunblade, which you will bring. Rikku, your knives. Gippal, your gun. Lulu, you've got your magic. Wakka, what will you bring?"

Wakka spoke. "I have a Blitzball, ya? It has spikes on it! Hate to get hit with that thing, ya?"

Paine nodded. "Then get whatever you need and meet in the parking lot. Rikku's van can fit all of us easily."

I nodded, going back into my closet as my friends left hurriedly. My eyes fell on my sword. The almost-glowing light blue blade seemed to thirst for excitement after a long time of hitting dummies and targets. I gripped the handle firmly and shoved Yuna's guns into my belt. The sword, Brotherhood, was lifted, and I walked out of the dorm slowly.

_My hands are searching for you  
my arms are outstretched towards you  
I feel you on my fingertips  
my tongue dances behind my lips for you_

"I'm coming, Yuna," I promised to her. "Don't worry."

_This fire rising through my being  
burning I'm not used to seeing you_

I raced out to the parking lot and hopped into the passenger seat. Everyone found his or her seat silently and quickly, and Rikku started the car. Even Rikku was silent to the bone.

_I'm alive, I'm alive_

Except, of course, her heart, which was not silent. In fact, it was pounding against her ribs. I'm sure that mine was, too.

_I can feel you all around me  
thickening the air I'm breathing_

Finally, the farm pulled into sight. Rikku parked hastily and we all hopped out, being cautious and wary of everything.

"Rikku," I whispered. "Where exactly did you find the pumpkin you're talking about?"

"It was on the other side of this building," she whispered back, moving towards a small kind of barn. Since it was late June, there weren't any pumpkins, but there were empty bins that, during the day, would be filled with apples and other in-season fruits. We crept around the dusty wooden walls. Rikku pointed to an empty table that was just visible in the receding sunlight.

_Holding on to what I'm feeling  
savoring this heart that's healing_

"Cover me," I ordered, walking bravely to the table, Brotherhood held firmly in one hand. On the table was another note.

_My hands float up above me  
and you whisper you love me  
and I begin to fade  
into our secret place_

I read it. "Just two more things before the prince can help his princess. All these things are matters of her life. The hair for her body, the books for her thoughts, the locket for her heart, the guns for her fiery spirit. Of course the pumpkin coach to take the princess to the ball, where her prince waits, not expecting what's coming next. A fairy tale, indeed, good sir! Then she's locked away, with no one to help her but mice. If you are the prince, good sir, then who are the mice? Your friends, of course, what else could it be? But as mice, good sir, you must be wary, as mice tend to fall into a trap."

My friends all glanced at each other. Then I heard it. I wasn't sure if any of the others heard it, but I'm sure that I did.

_The music makes me sway  
the angels singing say we are alone with you  
I am alone and they are too with you_

I heard a twig snap somewhere nearby.

"GET DOWN!" I bellowed, just in the nick of time. A gunshot rang out and a bullet embedded itself into the wall of the barn a mere three inches above Gippal's head. Another one just grazed Lulu's cheek. She gasped, startled, and became angry.

When was the last time I mentioned how bad it is to piss off a black mage? I think too long ago, so I'll do it again. It's an absolutely _awful_ idea to piss off a black mage.

"FIRA!" she shouted, waving an arm gracefully in the direction where the shooting came from. The small underbrush caught fire instantly, revealing at least twenty people wearing black. Several of them caught fire and ran off screaming, rolling on the ground to douse the flames.

The area now light enough to attack, Rikku and Paine moved first, their sharp weaponry out and eager to fight.

_I'm alive, I'm alive_

"Hyah!" Rikku grunted with effort, slicing in a spiral with her duel knives, the expert thief skills that she'd been trained diligently with. She hit the vitals of two or three guys surrounding her, not enough to kill, but more than enough to take them out for at least an hour.

Paine gripped her sword with two hands and dragged it through the air, damaging her enemies while repelling bullets. The two women moved so quickly, I almost forgot to act. Almost.

Gippal reacted next, taking out his large laser gun and firing. He later told me that since he had no desire to kill, his laser was more of a stun gun. Wakka threw his sharp Blitzball fiercely, as if trying to get past the goalie of the toughest team in the league.

_I can feel you all around me  
thickening the air I'm breathing  
holding on to what I'm feeling  
savoring this heart that's healing_

Lulu stood back and cast magick as Raine leapt into the fray, her sword like flashes of light in pitch darkness, brilliant when there, but gone so suddenly it hurt your eyes.

A gun went off next to me, coming from Squall, who shot several enemies and then ran forward with his curious weapon ready.

So then it was my turn. I gripped my sword with two hands and thrust it forward, knocking out four enemies.

I'm not going to say it was an easy fight, because its possible there had never been a more difficult one in my life as of that moment. The enemies were skilled, all armed with guns or swords.

In fact, it's possible that Raine would be dead currently if Squall hadn't moved so quickly, faster than most people can move. That's love for you, I guess.

_And so I cry  
the light is white  
and I see you_

Paine swung and missed one guy as he leapt behind her, whacking her in the back of the head. A gun screamed it's terrible song and the guy fell. Gippal hadn't fired the shot; he was kicking the crap out of some other guy that ripped Gippal's shirt wide open. It wasn't Squall; he was utilizing the blade of his weapon, fighting back to back with Rikku. It hadn't been me; I hadn't used either of Yuna's shotguns.

_I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive_

As it turned out, it was Baralai.

"Baralai!" Lulu exclaimed as she electrocuted two attackers and dodged a third.

"Lenne called me," he explained as he shot the guy that Lulu had dodged.

"Nice timing," commended Squall.

"Thanks," the silver-haired man said as he whirled around.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed. "How many of these guys are there?"

But, eventually, the woods were silent. A quick Water spell doused the flames, and weapons were sheathed. All the enemies were still alive, and Baralai had luckily brought a huge coil of rope, which we used to bind them all to trees.

"What the hell were you doing with all that rope?" exclaimed Paine as she greeted her boyfriend with skepticism in her red eyes.

"I was going to tie you up and tickle you," he answered promptly. "But seriously? I figured we might need it."

"Quick thinkers are the last to fall," said a cool and familiar voice. "It's fortunate." Marza.

"Marza?" I asked carefully.

"That is I." I turned around. Walking slowly out of the barn was a pretty blonde woman wearing an off-white sleeveless sweater, light blue jeans, and black boots. She wore a leather belt with twin guns tucked nearly into holsters.

She had her short hair pulled into a loose ponytail, and her eyes were sad.

_I can feel you all around me  
thickening the air I'm breathing  
holding on to what I'm feeling  
savoring this heart that's healing_

"The mice evade the trap and then they get the key," she spoke stiffly. "But then the cat jumps in and the mice have much trouble helping the princess in the tower."

"Why're you talking like that?" Raine asked rudely.

"Because I'm the cat," Marza spoke stiffly. "I'm challenging Tidus to a duel. Guns only. Do not shoot to kill. If you win, I'll lead you to the place where Yuna is. If I win, four people have to go home right away, and you will lose ten hours of time. You currently have twenty three hours left."

I was about to accept, when Squall stepped forward. "That's unfair."

She blinked. "Oh yes?"

"You are an expert gunner, are you not? Tidus is a swordsman. He does not handle guns. This is an unfair advantage, and I want to fight in his place."

I glared at him. "Look, Yuna is my—"

"You will not be able to go on and you know it. Someone who's never used a gun can't expect to beat someone who's highly trained. Let me do it. To use my weapon, I have good training for swords and guns. Give me Yuna's guns."

My gaze softened. He was right, of course. I'd never used gun, and Yuna had warned me—she's a gunner.

"Squall Leonhart is permitted to act as your substitute, Tidus," Marza said calmly.

Wordlessly, I gave him my guns. He removed his leather jacket, which Raine picked up and hugged to herself, out of fear for her boyfriend.

_Take my hand  
I give it to you  
now you owe me  
all I am  
you said you would never leave me  
I believe you  
I believe_

He held out his right hand, and she shook it firmly.

"I always fight fairly," Marza told him. "I won't hold back."

"Neither will I."

"May the best gunner win."

"Yeah." Squall raised one of the handguns to eye level and held one to his side. Marza took a similar stance.

_I can feel you a__ll around me_

_Thickening the air I breathe in_

_Holding on to w__hat I'm feeling_

_Savoring this heart that's healed_

In the story of Cinderella, where the references were coming from, the barnyard dog ends up chasing off the cat. With luck, it could end that way.

So, the mice's last hope took on the sly, quick, and lethal cat.

* * *

Sahrah: Cliffie! Muahahaha. Well, I wrote the longest chapter this fic has seen as of yet! Twenty-two and a half pages! I'm awesome! 

Editor: That may be one of the best cliffhangers I've seen in a while.

Sahrah: Pssh, that's nothing. Wait until you see next chapter! Man, when I'm free of writer's block, the words flow forever. And just so you all know, the next few chapters will probably have Flyleaf lyrics, since they're my most recent music obsession.

Editor: Please keep in mind that starting next month, this story will update twice a month until completion. If you haven't already, please review!


	8. There For You

Sahrah: Whoo, so the cliffhanger must be continued. It's sad, since everyone absolutely _loves_ cliffhangers! I mean—((the Editor whacks her with a stick))

Editor: NO ONE LIKES THEM, SAHRAH. NOW TYPE, OR YOU WON'T BE FED!

Sahrah: ((cries)) Okay, fine. Hmph. Oh, right! This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful new friend, bloodredx. She's one of my bestest friends ever and I luff her.

Editor: Sahraaaaaaah… I swear, if you don't start typing… ((holds up the beating stick))

Sahrah: No, no, I'm doing it! I'm doing it! The music belongs to Flyleaf. Most of the characters belong to Squeenix. Except I own Marza, Ray, and Raine. Ack! I just realized! Raine and Ray! Their names are kind of similar! Be careful not to mix them up. And don't be too fast to hate Marza, because she's one of those cute emo characters that you dislike at first but then you love her because of her horrible past and all. So now we're getting into her head. Aren't you happy? **Marza's Point of View.**

**Chapter 8: There For You**

There were twenty-three hours left. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to talk to Ray. He's a terrible, horrible person.

But, of course, that's why I'm in this situation, I suppose. Because, as most people should know: the feather never flutters far from the chocobo.

Maybe I'm a terrible person, too. That's why I was helping my brother, isn't it? Has it already been three years, since he helped me?

And to this very moment he uses that "help" to control my every move.

_Sometimes I'm a selfish fake  
You're always a true friend_

_And I don't deserve you  
'Cause I'm not there for you_

_Please, forgive me again_

But I digress. Before me was standing a young man, who was apparently in love – or at least in a romantic relationship – with one of the young women that had been fighting. He removed his leather jacket, and I didn't fail to notice that the woman named Raine gathered it up and held it close to her.

For a moment, I almost failed. For a moment I almost stopped the fight and led them straight to Yuna Lesca. Because this couple, Squall and Raine, were just one of several pairs that might very likely be torn apart in the next series of hours. What right had I to tear any two people apart?

I almost defied my brother. But then I realized something. If I do as Ray tells me, then I'll be free.

_I wanna be there for you  
someone you can come to  
runs deeper than my bones  
I wanna be there for you  
I wanna be there for you_

And so I was forced to lie to myself. Maybe he does the same things to that girl that Elliot did to _me._ And if that's the case, I can free her like my brother freed me. Maybe, I prayed, Squall was abusive, and I was helping the young woman.

I knew that it wasn't true. Honestly, I prayed it wasn't true. But if I allowed it to be false then I would falter, and while this group of friends went off to be happy, Ray would release the only person I'd ever truly feared. And then I'd be back where I started, but this time there'd be no one to save me.

"I have to win," I murmured under my breath. "It's the only way."

And so the battle began. We exchanged a few words.

"The first to draw blood wins," I told him. "Of course, if you kill me, you'll never find her. And since you can't kill me, I don't plan to kill you. So let's begin.

He took up a strange sort of stance. Strange, but the same one I used most of the time. I fired a shot, but the first was not intended to hit him. It was next to his foot. A way of saying 'I can win at any time.'

_I can't let him win_.

He jumped to the left, firing with both guns. I deflected one shot with the side of one weapon and avoided the other skillfully. Returning the shot. I closed my eyes, and then lunged at him, shooting wildly.

_I won't let him win._

He grunted audibly and dropped to the ground to avoid a rain of bullets, which he did skillfully. Sliding across the ground, he took aim at my leg.

I leapt high into the air– a skill I'd learned long ago. I shot at him as I landed with a small flip (maybe for style) and then stopped. Where had he gone? He made a mistake then as he had managed to hide in the brush. His mistake was that he moved.

_If I let him win, I will die._

I heard him move. I spun and fired. I heard him clamp his mouth down on a shout of pain and he threw the guns at my feet. He walked slowly towards me, his right hand clamped tightly over his left shoulder.

Blood spilled out between his fingers and from under his hand and his teeth were clenched in pain. I picked up the twin handguns and gave them to Tidus. Squall sat down hard on the slightly muddy ground, trying to slow the bleeding.

_I won. But I still hate myself for it._

"You've lost. Four people must return home. Squall- as a suggestion – should be one of them because of his injury. Also—" I was cut off as a member of the silent group burst from the pack and ripped off her shirt to use it as a bandage. Luckily for her- I suppose- she was wearing a sports bra.

"Squall!" Raine cried, wrapping his injury as best she could.

Squall shook his head and kissed her forehead. "I'm fine," he told her.

"Fine? Well, what about me, huh? What'll I do, if I can't heal this one!? Yuna's not here, so she can't make you better! You're such a… an idiot!"

Raine was even crying a bit. Which made me feel worse.

_You weren't saving her from anything, you filthy, worthless bitch._

My mask fell long enough for Tidus to notice. For a second, Elliot broke into my thoughts and told me all the terrible things I never wanted to hear. All the terrible things I'd locked away and sometimes seeped out.

_Swirling shades of blue  
Slow-dancing in your eyes  
The sun kisses the earth  
And I hush my urge to cry_

_Cry_

"Marza, are you all right?" he asked me. I looked up at him, almost afraid to meet his eyes. His blue eyes, the same blue as Elliot's, but somehow much warmer. Much safer. Pure. Inviting. I shook it off.

"I'm fine. I was saying. You now have eleven hours to make it through the warehouse. (A/N: If anyone is confuzzled about the remaining time, please consult the notes at the end of the chapter.) My family owns the old deserted warehouse, which is exactly one hour away from here by car. That's where Yuna currently is.

"The warehouse is designed like a maze. Through the rooms, people may be left behind. The friends you select to leave will be led by myself safely back through the warehouse and to the college dorm. You'll find her if you reach the center of the maze. Then you will have won.

"Tell me when you're ready to leave. Four people must be left behind."

I sat down gracefully on the picnic table and watched the sky thoughtlessly as the group of friends huddled.

_I wanna be there for you  
someone you can come to  
runs deeper than my bones  
I wanna be there for you  
I wanna be there for you_

I couldn't help but ask myself silently, again and again: '_What have I done?'_

**Paine's Point of View**

"There are eleven hours left. Four of us have to leave. Obviously Squall will be one of the people that leaves," I spoke calmly, my terror barely detectable behind the clean-cut mask I had fashioned.

"Squall is injured. None of us are any good at white magic. And even so, the bullet needs to be removed. No spell can do that. So-Squall- you've been voted off the island," Rikku continued nervously. "I think that maybe Raine should go with him."

Raine shook her head. "But—"

"Raine, please. The longer we take on this, the less time we'll have later," I pleaded. Her eyes softened, and she slowly nodded.

"Okay. I'm out."

"But who else?" Tidus trailed off. Obviously, Tidus would be needed to take charge. We'd need Lulu, so Wakka would refuse to leave. That left Rikku, Baralai, Gippal, and myself. Now, Rikku and Yuna were cousins, so Rikku would never leave. Baralai and Gippal were the sharp-shooting duo. They might be needed. And I…

"I'll go," Gippal said slowly, after a minute of strained silence. "If it'll help you find Yuna, then I'll go."

Rikku was about to protest, but I shot her a look.

"Who will leave?" I asked finally. I knew what I had to do. "I know that it seems like cowardice to back out now. But if no one leaves, then Yuna will never be found. For this reason…I will turn back. It is not my choice to make in any case."

Tidus looked at me, our eyes locking. Not a word was spoken, but I think he knew exactly what I wanted to say. '_Only you can do this. So do it.'_

He nodded finally.

"Marza," Tidus said. "We've decided. The ones who go on will be Baralai, Rikku, Lulu, Wakka and myself."

She looked up sharply, almost like Tidus's voice had startled her. But quickly she recovered her cold expression and she stood smoothly, nodding her head wordlessly in the direction of a full-sized navy blue van. There were no markings on it.

My friends and my boyfriend got into the van one at a time. I saw Baralai give me a pained expression before the door shut. His lips formed words. 'I love you.'

I responded with a nod. _Please._ _Be safe, please._

**Rikku's Point of View**

_'Cause I hear the whispered words  
in your masterpiece, beautiful  
you speak the unspeakable thought  
'I love you too'_

"To receive the key to the warehouse, you must forfeit an hour of your time. If you choose to have Rikku pick the lock, you forfeit an hour plus however long it takes to get the door open.

"Done," Tidus said firmly.

"Excellent. When we arrive, you will have approximately ten hours to complete the… let's call it a trial. Do not fear for Yuna. You still have ten hours. And I promise to protect her from anything and everything until those ten hours have been spent."

**Tidus's Point of View**

The_ warehouse_ was actually an old slaughterhouse. It was an old building where many hours of massacre and death could be easily imagined. All types of animals had once been led through the dimly lit narrow rooms and hallways to their unexpected deaths.

I could imagine it all too easily. Which only added to my worry. It was the kind of building where instantly after looking at it you could imagine all the terrible, disgusting things that had once taken place inside it.

"This warehouse was previously used by my great grandparents to slaughter and sell beef, pork, and other sorts of meat," explained Marza. "It is currently owned by my brother and myself, although it serves no purpose since it was closed down. Not- at least- until today."

Rikku squeaked and wrapped one arm around Lulu and one around Wakka. Then she pressed her forehead against my back. I didn't blame her. It was that clichéd and horrifying.

"Here's the key, Mr. Watanuki." Marza walked over to me, piercing me with her brilliant, cold eyes. She placed a slightly rusty key in my palm. "Be careful," she whispered under her breath.

She walked off into the woods nearby, probably some other entrance that would result in Yuna's death if we followed her.

There was still something about Marza that I liked. Something I trusted. I didn't know what it was; but- odds were- I'd find out before those ten hours were passed.

_I wanna be there for you  
Someone you can come to_

**Yuna's Point of View**

I think there's something weird about playing solitaire while being held prisoner by your stalker and his blackmailed sister. I mean, should you really being so friendly with your captors? It seemed a bit unheard of to me, but maybe I'm just a bit old fashioned.

I heard the door open and then shut as Marza came in.

"Yuna? I'm back."

"I heard," I said dryly. I placed a card on top of another, and then after a minute, I realized that there were no moves left. I shuffled the deck. "Hey, do you want to play cards?"

"I suppose. What game?"

"I don't know. Spit, maybe?"

"Okay."

I studied the older girl as she walked towards me. She placed one of her two guns on a table near the door, and locking the door. She pocketed the key and walked over to where I sat on the floor.

There were a few things I'd learned about Marza since I'd been kidnapped. She didn't like her brother, but he had once saved her from something. She'd been about to explain when her phone rang. Tidus, of course, was calling. Marza spoke in a monotone voice, and then handed me the phone.

And I'd told him everything I could before the phone was taken away and Marza left. Her only words before parting were, "I'll be back soon."

If you can call an hour and a half 'soon' then sure. True to her word. She'd given me a pack of cards, though, and free reign to walk around the large, well-lit room. Not that there was anything in it besides that table near the door and the chair I'd been tied to. But still, awfully nice of her.

Marza was pretty, clean cut and hard to read. Her eyes seemed sad though. She sat down with her legs crossed as I shuffled the cards and dealt them evenly.

"One, two, three, spit!" she said coolly and we both put down our first cards. She put down a Jack, and I put down a Three.

I drew the next card; it was a king. I looked up quickly; Marza put down a two on top of the three and then a queen on top of the jack. I quickly threw my king onto the queen and drew again. Our eyes met briefly, challenging each other.

She ended up winning the first game, and then we played again. This time, I won. Each time, we tried to figure out what the other was thinking. It was almost like dancing on the blade of a knife.

"Hey, Marza?"

"Yes?" She looked up.

"Why are you helping Ray? You keep saying he's doing terrible things, but you do what he says anyway."

Marza's eyes hardened and she laughed bitterly. "It's a complicated story… no, that's not true… it's not to hard to see what happened. But I will tell you, because no one told me not to. I will tell you because, maybe… I've been looking for someone to tell this story to. To justify what I'm doing." She stood up and tossed blonde hair over her shoulder.

"It started a year ago, when I was a senior at Zanarkand University. I met a man who I fell in love with right away. His name was Elliot. He was really handsome… with light brown hair and eyes… his eyes look exactly like Tidus's, now that I think about it. Regardless, he and I started dating. But he was as cruel as he was handsome. At first he would drop me off at home and leave after each date with a kiss on the cheek. And it was wonderful. Until- of course- the night most couples expect sooner or later. The night the man will bring the woman home to engage in sexual activities."

I laughed internally at Marza's frank way of talking.

"But, I wasn't ready when he tried to bring me home. And Elliot grew angry. Very angry indeed. He shoved me into his apartment and hit me with something heavy in the kitchen… I think it was a frying pan. I tried to run, but he threw something else and I fell. He ripped off all my clothes, and… well, you can guess what happened. Something similar happened to you, of course. But for me…" Marza swallowed audibly. "For me, there was no one to save me from whatever Elliot wanted to do with me.

"I spent a week and a half trapped in the apartment with Elliot. It felt like an entire year, until finally… my younger brother came looking for me. And he kicked down the door in time to see Elliot dominating over me for the umpteenth time that week. By that point, I'd cried so many tears… and I'd lost so many battles… I had been violated so badly, I didn't even look to see Raymond rip Elliot away from me. I have no idea what Ray did to Elliot.

"We'd known—we being me and my parents—that Ray was unstable. He'd been discharged from countless mental facilities. But in the state I was in, I couldn't stop him from nearly killing Elliot. And then my brother threw his shirt at me and ushered me to his car.

"But, see, my brother-even when saving me- is a ruthless, heartless and horrible person. Because it was four months before this incident that he became attracted to you."

I looked at her sharply. "Me?"

"Yes, Yuna. He found me and saved me because he needed my help to pull off an awful scheme that would pull your friends and your romances apart. And I will do whatever he says… because Elliot is still alive. And Ray has told me… that if I fail to complete his tasks, then Elliot will be released on me… and this time… there will be nobody to hear me scream for help."

The strangest feeling washed over me then. I don't know what you'd call it. It was much, much stronger than pity, but not as powerful as grief. I think maybe I'd call it empathy. Because, of course, I'd gotten off easy. Rikku had saved me from something so awful I tried so hard to pretend it never happened.

And here was a girl not much older than myself, who'd been trapped in the same kind of hell for almost two weeks. With no escape, no sanctuary, and no one to help her the way she deserved it.

So, for whatever reason, I dropped the cards I'd been holding and I hugged Marza. For a second, she stiffened in my hug, but then she relaxed, and eventually was trembling.

Then I realized—she was crying. She was crying, because maybe this was the first time in a long time someone understood that she was really hurting. That she needed to be helped.

Because part of me knew that she would never sleep well again, with thoughts of Elliot drowning her screams all night long. So, I guess, I couldn't help but to cry too.

_I wanna be there for you  
and be someone you can come to  
the love runs deeper than my bones  
I wanna be there for you_

End of Chapter 8

Sahrah: Well, that was fun. I love Marza. She's so fun to write because her life is so crappy ((huge smile)). Now, I want to explain the crazy time jump. Originally, there were thirty hours. As the day went on and the fight with Marza and Squall started, there were twenty-three. When the fight was over, it was twenty-two. Now, remember that Marza said that if Squall lost, their remaining time would be cut in half. So that made it eleven hours. The ride to the slaughterhouse was one hour (Marza mentioned this at one point) so that leaves ten hours. Then, for Marza to give them the key, they had to forfeit another hour. So there's nine left. Sorry if this was confusing. It confused my editor, too. And me, a little.

Editor: Oh, that reminds me! I want everyone to know that I am taking a vacation. So, Sahrah-sensei's friend who this chapter is dedicated to, bloodredx, will edit the rest of this fanfic. I will be in the Bahamas until further notice sleeping.

bloodredx: I shall do my best to help Sahrah's work become as incredible as it can be. Please, regard me with kindness. Editor, please enjoy your vacation.

Sahrah: Yes, yes, so everyone be sure to say greetings to the new editor in your review! The review, which you are _all_ expected to submit! ((glares)). Haha. See ya.


	9. When Tomorrow's Gone

Sahrah: Maybe later I'll start working on chapter 9...

bloodredx: I thought you already started

Sahrah: um... ehehe...

bloodredx: hey, you said you were 1/4 way done!

Sahrah: maybe I am... lemme check...

bloodredx: It's my job to make sure you update frequently. Now get to work.

Sahrah: I don't remember if I started or not! I can't even remember what I had for breakfast!

bloodredx: I had waffles.

Sahrah: Like… Lulu's waffles?

bloodredx: Yup, and you'll be starting right about now.

Sahrah: Erm, right. Well, I don't own the characters (Squeenix does) and I don't own the music (which happens to be called _'Heaven's Drive_' and it belongs to L'Arc-En-Ciel). So you know, the music is originally in Japanese, and this is the translation of it. Oh, and I will be putting in a timer for the characters to show how much time is remaining for them. Currently, they have nine hours.**Tidus's Point of View.**

**Chapter 9: When Tomorrow's Gone**

**Nine hours left.**

We took off running through the first room (even Lulu). The room was dimly lit, the floor damp with something. The room was obviously older than any of us were and the walls were stained with years of decay, as well as stale blood from an animal that had long since faced its death in the building.

_Isn't this getting boring?_

_What do you want next?_

_Your lips get hungry without sinful sensations_

_Eating you down to the bone_

_Leave me alone!_

At the end of the room we found two doors, between which was an old message board with a crisp piece of paper pinned to it. The note read: '_After the catastrophe struck, there was nothing left.'_

"What catastrophe?" Rikku cried, glancing around anxiously.

"'There was nothing left…'" Lulu mused. "There's nothing on the left side of the door, so 'nothing left' must imply which door we are to take. If there's nothing on the left side of the door, we're supposed to go through the one to the right."

Rikku peeked through both doors. "They both have hallways behind them, Lulu! There's something behind the door on the left!"

"A dead end, maybe," I suggested.

"I say we go to the right," said Rikku. Baralai and Wakka nodded their silent agreement, so we took the door to the right.

The hallway we entered was well lit, almost hurting our eyes after the room we'd come from. There was only one door at the end, so Rikku ran ahead of us.

And she fell into a hole in the floor.

_It's painfully intriguing_

_The way you love the sound of a panting voice_

_Playing with that lens-wearing snake_

_You're a prisoner of your own feelings_

Rikku let out a loud shriek as her fingers grasped the edge she'd nearly fallen over. She was dangling over a deep black hole, and none of us could see the bottom.

"Fira," Lulu muttered, tossing the magic spell into the ground, illuminating the thousands of shards of broken glass.

"Oh my Yevon," Baralai hissed between his teeth, pulling Rikku up to the solid floor. "You'd die of blood loss in minutes."

Rikku shuddered and buried her face in the silver-haired man's shoulder.

"How do we get across? It's a bit too wide to jump," Lulu commented.

"Maybe we should go back to the other room and—" I was interrupted when a section of the floor behind us gave way, revealing another ditch filled with glass shards.

_Take me up to speed_

_Beyond the breaking point_

_Leaving the world behind to burn_

_Ride on heaven's drive_

_When tomorrow's gone, we can just smile_

_And get on a brand new ship_

"Great. Now we're stuck in the freaking room," grouched Rikku.

My cell phone rang, and I was unsurprised when I saw Marza's name on the caller ID. She was the only one who seemed to be calling me today.

"Confused? You read the first clue wrong," she said in her monotone voice. "The catastrophe was the hole in the ground that Rikku almost fell into. After the hole in the ground, there is nothing on the left side. Had you gone left, you would have continued with no problems. Although your thinking was quite clever, I'm afraid it was incorrect. Do you wish to continue? You'll forfeit another hour."

"Do I really have to answer that question, Marza?" I asked angrily.

She was silent for a moment. "I suppose not. Eight hours left. Farewell." She hung up, and the broken glass at the bottom of the pit disappeared under two doors slamming shut to complete the pathway.

**Eight hours left.**

_Your body's full of poison_

_Ah... You're death's prisoner_

_The nightmares are swelling up and spreading_

_Until no one can hold on_

Wakka gripped the door handle and pulled it. The next room looked like it had been a storage room, filled with huge, rusted storage containers, boxes and barrels littering the floors. Near the ceiling were some oddly shaped wire hangers; I think they were probably used to hang meat once it had been picked from the animal. Lulu shivered.

I looked around, searching for the next door in this labyrinth.

And then we were running. We bolted through the only exit available and ran, with me in the front, Rikku sprinting madly behind me, everyone else following us desperately.

We went through long hallways, short rooms, and places so dark we couldn't see. As crazy as it felt, each time there was only one door, and each door led into another room with only one exit.

"This is insane!" exclaimed Lulu, who was panting as we kept running. "There's got to be… something else!"

"Well," Baralai commented, "there's nothing in front of us, nothing behind us… so if we're not supposed to go forward, then it's either up or down."

As soon as the words left his lips, I stopped abruptly. Rikku slammed into me with enough force to knock the wind out of somebody.

"Hey, don't just stop like that! Warn somebody, why don't you?" she complained loudly. I ignored her; it was not the time for the Al Bhed girl's theatrics.

"Up or down?" I wondered out loud.

Wakka, who was the tallest, reached a hand up and felt his way along the ceiling, poking at the old tiles.

"The tiles are all loose, ya? I don't think there's anything up there," he decided.

"Then it's down," Lulu said.

_Blindingly bright sunlight_

_Is what you're yearning for_

_To the point of blowing all else off_

_Ride on heaven's drive_

I crouched down, examining the fraying carpet carefully. I pulled; the edges of the tattered fabric pulled back easily, revealing a hatch in the floor. I tried to pull it, but the metal door was too heavy for me to lift alone. Wakka and Baralai joined me, and with a loud, protesting creak, the open door slammed against the concrete floor.

The hatch revealed a staircase, made of concrete that looked smooth from years of use. There was no railing, and the sound of running water could be heard faintly from where we were.

"…Water?" Baralai had heard it as well.

"There is a small river nearby this building," Lulu said. "Part of the electricity in this place, originally, might have run by water. It makes sense that there's a river underneath the slaughterhouse."

With that, Lulu cast a small fire spell and held the flame in her hand, descending the stairs first. The darkness melted away from the fireball, and Lulu waited as the rest of us followed her into the inky darkness.

The ground was wet, and something smelled like rotten fish. We went through two doors (one of which was stuck and Wakka had to tackle it to get it open) and then we saw it.

The river was a violent waterway of furious liquid, roaring through the remaining parts of the basement (we assumed it was the basement) and drowning all the rooms.

It was such a loud noise that we had to shout to communicate.

"How the hell are we supposed to get past this?" Rikku screamed.

"I don't know!" Baralai shouted back.

I felt my cell phone buzz in my pocket. It was a text message, from Marza.

'_I sent you a text because you can't hear me on the phone at current time. If you want to proceed, one and a half hours must be given up. Also, proceeding requires one person to not continue on. Who does not proceed is not a choice, which will soon become clear. Do you wish to continue?'_

I rolled my eyes and answered: _Why do you keep asking me questions that you already know the answers to? Please allow us to keep going._

Three minutes after I sent the message, the monstrous onslaught of water stilled, leaving more than half of the basement flooded in a silent ocean of freshwater.

**Seven hours and thirty minutes left.**

"Great," Rikku said sarcastically. "The river stops flowing like crazy, but it's still completely flooded!"

"We'll have to swim," I said.

"No problem, ya? Tidus, 'Lai, an' me, we can last for a looong time under water!" Wakka enthused. "Rikku, you're a good swimmer too, ya?"

Rikku nodded, then froze. "Wait… Lulu… Lulu can't swim!" We all looked over at the black mage.

"I can so swim!" she huffed. "Why wouldn't I be able to?"

"Because… someone's gotta keep casting water spells at that thing, or else we'll all be crushed by water." Rikku raised a shaking hand and pointed at a sign on the wall. And, of course, Rikku was right.

According to the sign, high-level water magic was the only thing that kept the river stopped for longer than a minute. Right below the sign was a large jewel-like thing, round and turquoise. It glistened in the dim light of Lulu's magic spell. It looked eager, too, to consume more of the magic art that only Lulu could perform.

"Th-the river's flowing again!" Rikku cried.

Of course it was. We couldn't see it yet, but the ground beneath our feet was rumbling. Without thinking, Lulu cried "Waterga!" and sent a torrent of water at the turquoise gem on the wall. Satisfied, the gem glowed happily and the rumbling ceased.

"So then, Lulu's got to stay here and hold off the river," Baralai said quietly.

"…So it would seem," I answered.

**Six hours left.**

"So, then, should we… ah… dive?" asked Rikku.

"Yeah," I spoke. I looked at the water near my feet. Wakka walked towards Lulu.

"Lulu," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You're… ah…"

"Be careful, Wakka," she said simply, only a hint of emotion left in her voice. "All of you. And if you don't come back… I'll bring you back and kill you myself!"

_Before your fellow travelers take the punishment_

_I'll get on that brand new ship with you..._

_Looking for the light, no matter how far_

_...Go as far as you feel like going_

_anyway the world is born again_

"Yes ma'am!" Wakka hugged her, and she stood up and gave him a lingering kiss before she turned to cast another magic spell, and the rest of us dove into the water.

The water was clear and cool, and there seemed to be a soft light coming from an unseen place. I soon realized that it was the same kind of water they used in a Blitz spheres.

Wakka and Baralai realized it too of course, and Rikku soon afterwards. We swam close to the ceiling, searching for the place we were supposed to surface. Soon, the ceiling separated from the water and we thrust our heads above the water, gasping for breath.

"W-we made it," stuttered Rikku, wringing her hair out.

"For now," Baralai replied. "Yevon knows what—"

Then, a shot rang out through the damp room. Standing in the doorway was Marza. She was holding a gun, the weapon now smoking from the last bullet fired. Her arm was trembling a bit, regret marring her pretty features.

Baralai screamed in pain, clutching one hand tightly to his right arm. Marza's bullet had hit about three inches above his elbow. Nothing vital had been hit, but he would surely bleed to death if he didn't get medical help immediately.

Wakka and Rikku turned quickly to our fallen friend, Wakka stuttering out bits and pieces of sentences, and Rikku crying something about not knowing white magic and being useless. Marza turned to the next room and tried to run, but I followed and grabbed her arm fiercely, refusing to let go.

I was angry.

She had shot my best friend, the one person who was able to talk me into chasing after Yuna all those years ago. The person I'd always trusted most (besides Yuna) and had grown up with. Baralai was my best friend in the world.

And she _shot_ him.

"Marza!" I hissed through my teeth. "Why the _fuck_ did you do that!? This was _not_ something we agreed upon! What happened to _fairness,_ you lying _bitch_!?" The words that rained out of my mouth were so cruel, I'll always regret saying them. "What happened to those words you said to me!? YOU'RE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY EVERYTHING FROM ME!? FIRST YUNA, NOW BARALAI TOO!? Aren't you the one who said that everyone would be led _safely_ out of this awful place!? Led by _you?_ You're a liar!"

She looked at me with periwinkle eyes full of regret and hurt. "I…" her voice braking as she spoke. "Ray told me… that… he didn't want you to win… He told me to shoot Baralai. He told me to k-kill Baralai. H-he aid that y-you were getting too cl-close to Yuna. But I wouldn't. I t-told him I wouldn't kill someone that important to you… so he told me t-to make him unable to continue… I… I'm so sorry!" The blonde woman burst into tears, pressing her hands against her face.

I relaxed my grip and turned to help my friend, wanted to leave the situation, but she threw herself at me, clinging to my shirt, hiding her face in my chest.

She reminded me so much of Yuna.

I felt a pang of sympathy.

"Marza, I've got to go help Baralai. I'm…" I was suddenly nervous. "I've got to go." I pushed her away and ran back to where my friends were.

"Baralai!" I exclaimed, kneeling beside my friend.

"I'm fine," he said. "Rikku used her headband as a tourniquet."

"Marza!" Wakka called to the next room where Marza was still sobbing. "You said you'd take him out of here to safety, ya?"

"Y-yes," she responded timidly, entering the room.

"Then do it!" Wakka ordered, louder and more powerful than I was used to seeing him. She nodded silently and slung Baralai's good arm over her shoulder, lifted him to his feet, and helped him down a long corridor that shut behind them with a loud noise.

"It's kind of weird," Rikku commented, breaking the deafening silence. "Marza didn't seem like one to cry like that… Huh."

I nodded, cleared my throat, and took off at a run again, with my friends in tow.

**Five hours left.**

Eventually we came upon a room where the door was bolted shut. Rikku took a few cautious steps ahead of us, reaching for a hairpin to pick the lock.

What she received was the raking of claws across her back.

_Take me up to speed_

_Beyond the breaking point_

_Leaving the world behind to burn_

_Ride on heaven's drive_

_When tomorrow's gone, we can just smile_

_And get on a brand new ship_

"Augh!" Rikku screamed, whirling around to see a Coeurl grinning its catlike grin. "Stupid cat! You are SO going down for this!" Rikku drew out her twin knives and yelled for neither of us to get involved.

"Rikku! You're bleeding!" I called as soon as I caught sight of her scratched backside.

"Cuh-uv-y— E tuh'd lyna!! Crid ib!" The Al Bhed shrieked at me in her native language, bobbing and weaving around the large fiend, slashing at it mercilessly.

"Rikku, you're going to get really hurt!"

"E CYET CRID IB!"

"Jeez! We're wasting time!" Of course, though, Rikku wouldn't listen.

"Acutally, you're not wasting time," said Marza quietly from behind me. "I won't give you the key to the door until Rikku either defeats that thing or loses to it."

"…And if we try to help her?"

"You lose an hour," Marza replied.

"Right," I answered. At this point, asking was pointless. It seemed that Ray would do anything to eat away our time.

"And after this, Rikku will not be able to continue."

I whirled around. "WHAT!?" I hissed through my teeth, glaring at the blonde girl. "Why the hell not?"

"She's injured. If she wants, she could continue, but she'll die in that state. Look."

Of course, Marza was right. Also, it was obvious that, without intervention, Rikku was going to be killed by the catlike fiend.

"Look, five hours or four, it don't make no difference!" Wakka cried angrily. "Rikku's gonna die, ya?" With that, he threw his weapon expertly at the Coeurl, whacking the monster in the head and knocking it out.

**Four hours left.**

Rikku called, "victory!" and promptly fainted. Wakka and I rushed to her side, but Marza got there first and lifted the unconscious Al Bhed.

"You have four hours remaining. Please continue on," she spoke over her shoulder.

_Ride on heaven_

_Now grab onto the key and run_

_Get on that ship_

_Get on_

Wakka moved ahead of me and through the next door. I followed behind him, and soon we were running again. Room after room, we ran. We were already in the basement—there were no more hatch doors. The ceiling was cement- no going up, either.

**Three and a half hours left.**

Wakka ran ahead of me a bit to open the next door when a cage flew down from the ceiling. My phone rang—Marza, of course, was calling.

"What?" I asked harshly. "To get him out, do I have to give you another hour? This is getting old, Marza."

"_So you release him then?"_ she asked calmly.

"No!" Wakka yelled from his prison. "You gotta go find Yuna, ya? Don't worry 'bout me. I'll be fine, ya?"

I looked at him sharply.

"Look, man, I told you to go! Why are you still standing here?" I glanced back at the phone.

"No," I said hesitantly. "I'm not releasing him."

"_Very well, then. Goodbye for now."_ Marza hung up. With one last desperate glance at my friend, I ran past him and through the open door.

It really was a selfless thing of Wakka to do. I mean, I knew he was a good guy, and he really cared about his friends and all, but who knows how long Ray will leave the poor guy in the cage before releasing him?

Even at the start. Squall was so willing to fight a battle he probably knew he'd lose just to keep everyone else going. And the people who stayed behind… they weren't cowards at all. They stood aside so that Yuna could be rescued. Even though Raine, Gippal, and Paine (especially Paine) wanted to come along, they stayed behind without too many words.

Then Lulu had to stay behind, casting magic spells at the crystal in the wall. Waiting alone in the dark until someone told her it was okay to leave. Without any knowledge as to what was going to happen to herself, or to her friends.

Baralai came all the way from his home to help us, and as a reward, he was shot because someone else was jealous of me.

And Rikku, she was something else. Rikku had been terrified since the start, but she kept fighting. She fought because she loved Yuna. She loved Yuna as a cousin, as a sister, and as a best friend. And Rikku had fought for Yuna until she had nothing left.

All these people loved Yuna so much they were willing to put everything on the line. All these sacrifices left me standing near the finish line.

"Everyone," I muttered as I ran towards the next door. "Everything you've given so far… I won't let you down!"

But then I thought of Yuna. Oh Yevon, how much I loved her. I loved her laugh, her mix-matched eyes, and her smile. I loved everything about her. I loved her hands and how they fit so well in mine, I loved her pretty brown hair. Although now I'm sure I would miss pulling on her long braid, she was still so beautiful.

I loved her so much when we started high school. I though it wouldn't be possible to love her even more than then, but somehow, I managed it.

The things I had felt so quickly and fleetingly for Marza in that moment of weakness paled in comparison to everything I had for Yuna.

**Three hours left.**

The dim hallway I was running down gave way to light as I passed into a smaller room. Marza was standing there, watching her feet.

"What's the catch this time? Do I have to fight you? Are you going to shoot me?" I demanded.

She shook her head, and I regretted the harshness in my words.

"Then why are you here, Marza?" Slowly, she brought her eyes to meet mine. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she was trembling. Wringing her hands in silent agony. "Marza? What's wrong?"

Her lips were moving, but her words were unclear.

"What?"

"What can I do, Tidus?" she asked miserably.

"Huh?"

"What words do you need to hear so that you'll turn around and take me with you instead? I can't… It's not fair!" She threw herself at me then, almost childishly, clinging to my clothing and hiding in the folds of my shirt.

"It's not fair!" she sobbed. "You love her so much! And she loves you! And I don't know what I'm supposed to do with these feelings!"

I looked at her in shock. Sure, I'd definitely felt something for this woman. She was so much like Yuna—vulnerable, carrying weight, trying to hide her weaknesses.

Maybe, just a little, drowning in herself.

"Marza," I whispered. Yes, there was no doubt that, in another time and place, I could have loved Marza. It would have been so easy to fall for her.

But anything I felt towards Marza couldn't hold a candle to how I felt about Yuna.

"Marza, I'm sorry."

"You… you remind me so much of _him_," she sniffled. "He was so handsome, and he always said the right thing. His eyes could see all the way to my heart. Elliot. But, I think… I think that you are so different from him, too. You'd do anything to keep Yuna safe. You'd try to never hurt her. You… fight for her."

"Marza, I can't…"

"I think, maybe… I love you! Isn't that horrible? It's horrible; because no matter what I do, or how hard I try, I won't be the person you're trying so hard to reach. Even if I call out to you, you'll always go to her first."

I felt a pang of sadness, knowing she was hurting.

"Marza… I think, if we had met in a different time, a different place… if Yuna wasn't there… in another situation, I'm sure that we _could_ have been together. But, I just can't feel that way. Not for you.

"Yuna means everything to me… I love her so much." Marza tightened her grip on my clothing. "I need her to be complete… and I need her to survive. Yuna is… my life. And when we're done college, I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Please stop," Marza whispered. But I didn't. I couldn't.

"I'm going to buy her a big house, and I'm going to make her happy."

"Stop," she croaked a little louder.

"And every weekend, we'll get together with all our friends and eat dinner at a local diner."

"Stop…"

"And if we have kids, and our friends have kids, they'll grow up together."

"Tidus, please…"

"And everyday, I'll wake up to see Yuna smiling at me. And she'll look as beautiful to me as she always has, no matter what day it is or how old we are. She'll always be—"

"STOP IT!" Marza fell down to her knees, still hanging on my shirt. "I can't take it! So you're going to be happy beyond belief! So you're going to have kids and stay madly in love forever! So what? Is that it? Are you going to leave me with Ray and Elliot? I know that I'm not your responsibility, but I can't help it! I love you!"

"But I… I don't love you," I muttered. I didn't want to hurt her. She was too much like Yuna. Her sad eyes, her mannerisms, the way her hands trembled as she tried to speak words much braver than how she felt.

But I couldn't lie to her, either.

That would be the worst betrayal of all.

"I know!" she bawled. "I know you don't! I know you can't! But I can't do anything except for try! Because if I don't try, then I'll still be trapped here! No matter what, I've lost!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so, so sorry. But Yuna is the only one I've ever wanted to be with. Did you know, Marza? You say I'm like Elliot… did you know, though, that you're just like Yuna?"

"I don't want to be," she cried.

"I know… but you are. Your eyes both have the same hidden sadness. You've both lost pieces of your heart to the cruelties of this world. You're both gunners. You both protect whatever you have with all your heart. That's why you are here, isn't it? You're protecting your own feelings.

"But, unlike her, you are willing to let whatever is told to you become the truth. Are you sure that whoever this 'Elliot' is happens to be wherever you think he is? Are you sure that Ray isn't bluffing to keep controlling you?

"Are you sure that you can't beat him instead of listening to him?"

She looked up at me.

"I…"

"I'm sure, Marza, that you can take down whatever or whoever Ray throws at you. I'm sure that you can make your own story a happy one, by no one else's hand but your own. You don't need me."

"But I… I want…"

I hugged her. I couldn't help it. She was aching for someone, anyone who could give her a hand.

It wasn't a romantic hug, I just didn't have that kind of feeling for her.

"And right now, Marza, I have to go find Yuna and make our own happy ending."

She nodded and released me hesitantly.

The blonde woman stepped aside as I ran past her, through the door. I ran faster than before—I knew I was getting very close.

I burst through one final door, and there she was.

My angel, my life, my princess. My everything.

My Yuna.

She looked up, probably expecting Marza. Her eyes widened, and in one smooth motion she was on her feet running towards me. She threw her arms around my waist and refused to let go.

"I knew you'd make it," she whispered contentedly.

"Of course," I murmured into her hair. It had not even been a day since we'd been together, but it felt like a long and painful lifetime.

I breathed in her sweet scent, took in how well we fit together, felt her fingers on my back, holding on to everything at once.

"Oh, Yevon," I whispered, unable to stopper the tears that started falling from my eyes. "Yuna. I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she answered, reaching up to wipe away my tears. "Don't cry, Tidus. We're together again, right?"

"We are…"

"So that means tomorrow is still going to come."

Then we heard it. The door creaked open. We weren't going to leave here without one more last shot from the enemy that just refused to die.

Ray stood, looking angry. In one hand, he held a sword. In the other, he held a knife. And he was not happy.

Oh, no. We weren't going to be able to leave until one last string of fate was pulled mercilessly from the fabric of time. I could almost smell the blood about to be spilled. I tightened my hold on Yuna.

**End of Chapter 9**

bloodredx: this was a fun chapter to edit. I'm so lucky to get to be the first one to read the chapters. ((insert evil grin here))

Sahrah: Oh, yes. Well, cliffhangers are oh-so-fun, aren't they? Muahahahaha. You'll all just have to wait… something BAD is going to happen! As if it could get any worse! See, Marza's crappy life just got crappier, didn't it? I told you bad things happen to characters I control. It's just the way things are. Oh, that's right… my birthday is on Monday, July 30th. I'll be turning 15. Just putting it out there.

bloodredx: Also, an announcement. Sahrah and I are writing a story together. It will be called _A Drop of Sound (acoustic version)_ and since I'm working with Sahrah, it's bound to be awesome. Lots of awesome music, romance, and cruel twists and turns… everything you'd expect when my dear friend and I put our heads together. So, review this chapter, and by the time the next one comes Sahrah can probably direct you to chapter 1. By the way, it will be a Prêtear fanfic, and it will be coming from our joint account _Bloody Leonheart_

Sahrah: (Why are you using my fanfic to advertise...?) Yes, absolutely check it out! With my talent and her talent combined, the possibilities are endless. And they result in a lot of talent! Be sure to keep your eyes out! And, more importantly... see that little button in the lefthand bottom corner? It's a review button. And it's looooonely. I think you should push it.


	10. Just Too Real

Sahrah: Ooh, so it's chapter ten, is it? Hm. Some very dramatic ends in here… I'm already crying. It's certainly going to be a good chapter, don't you think?

bloodredx: Oh, I hope so. I'm looking forward to it. Although I'm a bit saddened.

Sahrah: Yeah, but sadness is part of it. I'm sad because I don't own the characters (mostly) or the music (this chapter's song is 'My Immortal' by Evanescence.). I'm also sad because after this, it's all fluff until the ending. Which will also be quite fluffy. But, fluff is fun… and I haven't written any in a while, how unlike me…

bloodredx: Of course. I think I'll enjoy a break from the serious. And Yuna/Tidus fluff is always cute, especially when it comes from you.

Sahrah: Aww, thank you! Some of it will be Rikku/Gippal, though. Well, I suppose we'd best get this road on the show. I've already had one reviewer all yelling at me… Heehee, sorry guys! I love you all! Yuna's point of view. For a change.

_Chapter 10: Just Too Real_

He was angrier than I'd ever seen him before, with a sleek and deadly sword in one hand and one of Marza's guns in the other. His normally calm and calculating face was curled up into an ugly snarl. His eyes were pits to hell, and his hands twitched on the weapons.

"I challenge you," Ray said lamely, pointing the sword at Tidus, who only tightened his grip on me.

_I'm so tired of being here_

_Suppressed by all my_

_Childish fears_

"No," Tidus answered firmly. "I have done everything you asked of me. I have left my friends behind, put them at extreme risk. I have beaten the challenge you gave me, and now I'm going home. And I'm taking Yuna with me. You got that, you bastard?"

Ray's eyes were angrier than ever, almost red with rage. He dropped the sword and raised the gun.

_And if you have to leave_

_I wish that you would just leave_

'_Cuz your presence still lingers here_

_And it won't leave me alone _

"Then I'll just kill you both," he hissed.

"The hell you will," I mumbled. I reached around to Tidus' back pocket and pulled out my gun that he'd kept with him. I whirled and fired, shooting Ray in the foot. He screamed and dropped the gun, hopping stupidly on one foot.

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just so much that time cannot erase_

"Don't I get a say in this?" I asked him sarcastically. "Or am I supposed to sit around and wait for someone to decide what happens next? I'm tired of that; I've been doing it for hours. You want to fight someone, Ray? Then fight _me._ Got it? Let's go. Right now. I could kill you for what you've done." I raised my gun again. "I won't kill you… but you can still _go to hell!"_ I lunged for the sword he'd dropped and grabbed it, thrusting the gun into my belt and raising the sword. Paine and Tidus had taught me well.

"No!" Ray howled, falling on his rear end in surprise. I held the blade to his throat.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand for all of these years_

_But you still have _

_All of me_

"Seems you're all talk," I told him. "That was pathetic. You really aren't very powerful, are you?" He looked at me with his demon eyes and called for his sister.

"MARZA! GET IN HERE!" Of course, Marza came running. Her shoulder-length blonde hair that had been in a ponytail previously was floating around her neck, and she'd changed into a clean lavender tank top.

_You used to captivate me by your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away  
All the sanity in me_

"What is it?" she asked calmly, as if she didn't see my sword on his neck.

"_STOP HER!_"

"No."

Even I was a bit taken aback. But no where near as much as Ray seemed to be.

"_WHAT!?"_

"No, I don't want to stop her," Marza answered. "You can let Elliot go; I'm tired of being afraid of him, and of _you._ You, _dear brother,_ are a thorn in my side and I am glad to be rid you. So go on, let him go. I'm done with this crap."

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

Ray started laughing then, cackling like the villain he really was. He pushed the blade away from his neck and stood up, shaking his head at his sister. "Let him go? You _stupid bitch!_ He's dead! He's been dead for _months_, you _moron!_" Ray spat his words cruelly as Marza's eyes widened in horror and anger.

"How could you?" she hissed. "HOW COULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME? YOU… YOU SICK MAN!"

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have_

_All of me_

"Please," he snorted. "You were the one stupid enough to believe me."

"You monster!" Marza started sobbing; her eyes fierce and angry like fire. "I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I HAD LEFT!"

"Yes… you did, didn't you, my sister? But it doesn't matter."

"THE HELL IT DOESN'T!" Marza whirled and grabbed the sword from my hand, pointing it skillfully at her brother. He smirked, tilting his head.

"My quarrel is not with you, Marza. Stand down."

"I've been taking orders from you for _months,_ you _dog. I have done everything you asked of me._ I have not disobeyed you, no matter how WRONG I thought you were. Because I owed you a life debt that you _held against me_. You _strangled me_ with it. But you KILLED Elliot. He's dead, and you _lied. _You betrayed me, and now I'm going to take your life."

_I tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone_

_But though you're still with me_

"You'll be sent to prison," snapped Ray.

"It'll be well worth it, I assure you."

"I'll kill them, you know." Marza froze. Ray had the gun out and was pointing it at Tidus's head. We were across the room from him, but Ray had proved himself a marksman and would not miss. "There is one shot left in this gun, and I will kill Tidus Watanuki right before your eyes, Marza! This man you fell in love with…I'll kill him, just like I killed Elliot! And then I'll take Tidus' sword and kill Yuna, then I'll take Yuna's gun and kill _you!"_

_I've been alone all along_

"Wait," I exclaimed, stepping back to where Tidus stood. "In love?"

"That's right, Yuna," Marza whispered, dropping the sword. "But I… I didn't mean to!" she looked up, her face contorted with guilt. "I didn't mean to fall in love with him! B-but, he was so much like Elliot had once been, that I… _I'M SORRY, YUNA! OH YEVON, I'M SO SORRY! BUT I LOVE TIDUS, TOO!_" She collapsed on the ground sobbing, her shoulders shaking and her breathing erratic. She seemed to be entering some form of shock.

I shook my head. "It's okay, Marza! It's going to be all right! I forgive you!"

"Marza!" Tidus added. "Get up!"

_When you cried I'd wiped away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand through all of these years_

"How sentimental," snorted Ray. "Bye bye, Tidus." He cocked the gun and aimed.

Almost in slow motion, I ran to Tidus and held him fiercely.

"I won't live without you!" I hissed to Tidus as he hugged me. Marza was screaming into her hands, her face unseen under her blonde hair. Ray smiled sadistically.

"No, Ray, don't!" I screamed. "_Don't! TIDUS!_" Tidus hugged me tighter, closing his eyes tightly. Ray pulled the trigger, laughing hysterically, his sanity long gone. The shot was loud, explosive, like a scream cutting through silence.

_But you still have all of me…_

The shot rang through the air faster than I could scream for something, anything, to stop. Then it was dead silent.

_All of me…_

The bullet went through Marza's heart, probably killing her instantly. Her periwinkle eyes were wide with shock, rage, grief, and sorrow. One final tear escaped her mournful eyes. Her mouth was open slightly. Her pretty blonde hair was splayed around her. She landed with a soft thud.

"_MARZA!" _Tidus and I screamed, releasing each other and racing to her fallen body.

The blonde girl had leapt into the bullet's path. To protect Tidus – and to protect me – she had died.

Then, I couldn't feel anything until something soft and warm ran from my eyes and down my cheeks. Tears for this girl, who had kidnapped me, put Tidus and our friends through dangerous trials, fallen in love with my boyfriend. Tears for this girl who had been trapped in a rapist's house for a week and had lived, would have lived, a life full of terror. Tears for this very human girl who had never been given the love she'd wanted or needed.

Tears for this girl who was so much like me.

Tidus cried too, for a girl he'd barely known but knew so much about. Tears for a girl that he could have loved. Tears for a girl who had loved him.

Ray let out a strangled sound, a mix of rage and shock. He stumbled out of the room hastily. His fate was momentarily forgotten—Marza… had died for Tidus and for me.

_All of me…_

Marza was dead.

**Marza's POV**

It didn't hurt, really. Dying. It didn't hurt.

I was sort of hovering over where my body was. Yuna started bawling, screaming bloody murder. She was sobbing. Tidus was, too. Ray, of course, had already left. He had, I could tell, decided his final move. But I didn't worry. I would never see Ray ever again.

Death was not cold. No, for me, it was warm, welcome. I felt no more pain; I was weightless. It was liberating to the extent where I could have forgiven Elliot for everything he'd ever done. I could forgive the entire _world_ for what it had done to me. It didn't matter anymore. I was _free._

Tidus hugged Yuna gently, and I felt regret. There had never been anyone in my life to hold _me_ like that. Suddenly, I felt alone, more than I'd ever been in my entire life.

What would become of me now, I wondered? I might've panicked a bit. Was I going to be as miserable and alone in death as I had been in life?

I watched Yuna and Tidus for a long time. It could've been minutes, it could have been hours. Time, I soon learned, is irrelevant after you die. Soon, the pair stood and left. Tidus was limping, and Yuna was still hysterical.

The room was then empty, and I looked to examine my dead body. A wave of calm washed over me. Something warm was emanating from behind where I stood. I turned; a magnificent light, brilliant and grand, was shining from everywhere. It was dazzling, almost blinding. I saw a hand reach towards me. It belonged to a man who looked my age.

"E-Elliot?" I whispered fearfully, pulling away. It was Elliot's face. But the man shook his head no, and gently wrapped his fingers around my wrist. No, it wasn't Elliot. This person was an angel, probably.

They say that at the light, all your family members who have died will wait for you. But, I suppose, since my family hated me, I was given an angel for myself. Hesitantly, I reached up to touch his face. It was so warm, so comforting. There was something wet on my cheeks; was I crying?

My angel wiped the tears away. He told me that no one can leave the physical world until they cry for themselves. When you die, it is the only time that you ever cry for only yourself.

You cry for your own funeral. You cry because your life is over. I cried because it never really began. I cried because I had no real reason to cry; I had no reason to live, after all. I cried because I was dead.

I cried only for me.

And then I stopped crying. The angel turned me towards the source of the light. It was warm. It was bright. It was happy.

Nothing hurt me anymore. I was _free._ It was the first time that I truly felt like everything was going to be okay.

"Will I be happy?" I asked my angel. He nodded with a smile. And so, I was.


	11. One Love, One Lifetime

Sahrah: This chapter is still RAW. It has not been edited, but I couldn't keep you guys waiting a SECOND longer, so HERE IT IS! CHAPTER 11! BE JOYFUL! Before we start, I want to apologize profusely for the two-month hiatus. The first month of school is always really hard for me, and then October I was stressed out over a bunch of things. But I'm okay now! And happy Hallowe—

Squall: Sahrah, Halloween is over. It's almost Thanksgiving.

Sahrah: …Oh. Well. Okay. I own nothing but plushies and creepy fangirl shrines. (What!?) Yuna's point of view.

**Chapter 11: One Love, One Lifetime**

A month passed. Marza never had a funeral; it seems as though no one in her family spoke to her, except Ray when he needed something.

Speaking of Ray…. With no where else to go, he committed suicide the night he murdered his sister. He jumped off the roof of the dorm building; he left no suicide note.

Finally,_finally_, summer came, and we all left the dreary campus and its memories, at least for the two month vacation. Raine went with Squall to Besaid to meet his parents, promising to come to Bevelle in July. Squall had healed fine from his injury, as had Rikku and Baralai. In fact, everyone had healed up nicely.

Even a month after the events in the slaughterhouse… the shadow of words spoken there ring in my head, throbbing, nearly painful. They are… Marza loved Tidus.

How does one handle such a thing?! I know he never cheated on me. He never would. But still… even if you don't act on certain feelings, they're still there… aren't they?

Every time I'd think about it, I'd shudder and shake my head. Out of all the things that had ever crossed my mind, this was by far the most irritating and recurring. But I promised myself I'd never ask him about it. My father once told me that some things are better left unsaid. I believe him.

The two hour drive home passed quickly, with our laughing and joking. Gippal and Rikku's show (The Phantom of the Opera) would be premiering at the beginning of July (of course Rikku was playing the lead Christine, and Gippal was playing the lead role of the Phantom) and everyone was in high spirits.

"Yuna?" Tidus's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Ah? What?"

"We're home," he grinned, pulling me out of the car in Rikku's driveway and lifting me bridal-style, running across the street and laughing as Rikku and Lenne laughed and Shuyin and Wakka yelled about carrying bags and Gippal dug for his own belongings and everyone else laughed hysterically. It almost felt like nothing had changed from our high school day for a moment, until Emma woke up and began to cry.

That was one thing that had changed. And of course, my braid was long gone as well, although Rikku promised to buy me an extension on my birthday.

Time passed, and finally Rikku and Gippal's show was opening. We all got dressed up nicely, Emma was left with a babysitter, and we departed.

"Watch out for the chandelier," warned Rikku with a smirk.

"What chandelier?" I blinked.

"You'll see," she replied and disappeared into the "Staff Only" entrance to the theatre. We all found our front row seats and sat down, and in minutes, the lights dimmed and some ominous voice asked for all cell phones to be silenced and all food to be put away. With no further ado, the lights dimmed and the curtain rose. A short scene about an auction started the show, and it ended with a huge sheet being pulled off of the chandelier, filling the room with such a bright light that everyone had to look away quickly.

The entire theatre burst into sound, the overture making everyone jump, the scene changing rapidly, and the dramatic opening song ending with a high note sung by a full-of-herself soprano. The real story would begin here.

We watched as Rikku played the part of Christine Daae, an orphaned girl who lived and danced at an opera house. She loves to sing, and receives vocal guidance from a mysterious person known only as "The Opera Ghost" or "The Phantom of the Opera." She falls in love with her childhood friend, Raul, as the Phantom (played by Gippal) falls in love with her.

My favorite song was probably the "All I Ask Of You" piece, a duet with Christine and Raul (the person who played Raul, whoever he was, was very good). The song was romantic and beautiful, and sad when the Phantom, who trusts only Christine, feels betrayed and utterly alone. He picks up the rose that she had dropped in the snow and sings a mournful refrain of "_I gave you my music… made your song take wing, and now, how you've repaid me… Denied me, and betrayed me? He was bound to love you when he heard you sing… Christine… oh, Christine…"_

It was even more powerful when he cries and then gets angry, finishing with "_You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you!" _With an evil laugh, he declares "war" on the couple, and the chandelier flies down, through the audience, and supposedly crashes onto the stage of the opera house.

The crashing light fixture came out of nowhere and scared the hell out of all of us… so I guess that's what Rikku was warning me about.

**Tidus's Point of View**

So we didn't watch out for the stupid chandelier. In the closing scene of Act I, the chandelier flew through the audience so closely that we felt the gust of wind it left behind. Yuna muffled a yelp as it swung, and onstage, "Christine" screamed, falling to her knees as the "Phantom" laughed and spelled out the doom of the opera house.

At intermission, everyone took a bathroom break or went for a snack, so Yuna and I stayed behind. She was humming "All I Ask Of You" and staring contentedly at the red curtain with peaceful miss-matched eyes. I leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Anywhere you go, let me go too… Yuna, that's all I ask of you."

She turned and smiled sweetly, kissed me, and said, "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word, and I will follow you…"

I leaned in to kiss her again, but the lights began to flash, signaling the end of intermission. Our friends came back and sat down as the lights dimmed again and Act II began with "Masquerade."

**Yuna's Point of View**

When the show was over, all the actors came out for their bows. Of course, a massive standing ovation was in order. The cast bowed and the curtain closed. We were gathering our things up, ready to wait for Rikku and Gippal behind the theatre, when the curtain rose abruptly and everyone froze.

The actors were mostly off of the stage, removing makeup and wigs and shoes. Gippal had his "Phantom" mask and makeup removed, and Rikku had removed her brunette wig and was fixing her blonde hair. Her head shot up as she looked at the audience, her swirly green eyes full of panic. Her mouth was moving, but her mike had already been turned off. Gippal was smirking.

All of the remaining actors ran offstage, but Gippal caught Rikku's hand and made her stay. When she looked at him with questioning eyes, he reached into the pocket of his costume and pulled out a little black velvet jewelry box. He got down on one knee, and Rikku's hands flew to her flushed cheeks. Into the mike that was still on, Gippal asked her:

"Will you marry me?"

The audience was dead silent. Slowly at first, and then much faster, Rikku nodded. 'Yes', she nodded. 'Yes, I will marry you.'

Then, the crowd, us included, began cheering even louder than before as Rikku threw her arms around her fiancée. Backstage, more cheering erupted as the curtain closed one last time.

**End of chapter 11**

…**no, not REALLY! Just having a bit of fun! …Sorry. Read on.**

**Rikku's Point Of View**

I had totally not seen that one coming. The show was over; I wiped off my makeup, and took off the itchy brown wig. Then suddenly, BAM! Oh poopie, the curtain's up. What the hell is our stage manager doing!?

And then…. Then! Gippal's asking me to marry him in front of, like, the whole world! Holy crap!

"Yes!" I whispered at last, hugging him. "Of course!"

He grinned at me and slipped the ring onto my finger. The rock wasn't that bug, but for me, it sparkled more than the biggest diamond Spira had to offer.

**Yuna's Point of View**

I couldn't believe it! The most romantic proposal ever executed, and it happened to my very own cousin! I'll admit, I was a bit jealous. And I still had my secret fear about Marza and Tidus. (A/N: Whaat? Get over it, Yuna.) Paranoid much? Of course.

But even an irrational feeling is still a feeling, and an important one. Maybe an irrational feeling is even more important because it's so powerful.

As the curtains closed, I made a choice. I wanted to know. I _needed_ to know. That night, I would ask him.

However, as quickly as it had come, my nerve was gone, and July came, as did Squall and Raine. Raine brought stories of skiing, snowboarding, her younger sister Sahrah, and interesting encounters with local heartbreakers.

One night, when Rikku, Lenne, Shuyin (who was at Lenne's parent's house with his wife and daughter), Paine, Lulu, Wakka, Gippal, and Baralai were at their homes, and Squall and Tidus were shopping for something (they said it was a secret; I said they were acting like girls). I was sitting in the kitchen talking to Raine, who was staying as our guest at Jecht's house. I told her about my long-held insecurities (she's a great listener) and I told her I was a little scared.

Raine has surprisingly excellent and mature insight that doesn't match her usually hyper personality. She says she an analyst—a person who can naturally read and translate body language.

"You need to tell him how you feel," Raine said, sipping her Dr. Pepper, wrinkling her nose as the bubbles tickled her face. "'Cuz he loves you, and he won't get mad. He wants to make you happy. He always has."

I laughed. "How did you get so smart, Raine?"

"Well, if I can't read maps, at least I can read people," she shrugged.

"Fair enough. Any idea where the guys went shopping?"

She snorted. "Tch, NO, and Squall totally clammed up and wouldn't tell me."

"…You mean… he clammed up more than usual?" I raised an eyebrow, and Raine giggled.

"Shut up! I don't rag on _your_ boyfriend." She grinned good-naturedly.

I chuckled. "Good point."

Soon, the guys returned, although it was 10:00 at night and already dark. Raine and Squall went up to Shuyin's old room, which was now used as a guest room.

"So, what did you buy?" I asked Tidus, nodded at the bag in his hand.

"Nothing really."

"So you're holding a bag full of nothing."

Tidus laughed. "Come on, nosy, let's go upstairs." He led the way, and I closed the door behind us, turning on the CD player. During 'The Phantom of the Opera' we had brought a soundtrack, and I loved to listen to it. All the music was so powerful. I played 'All I Ask Of You' which was still my favorite.

_No more talk of darkness,  
Forget these wide-eyed fears  
I'm here, nothing can harm you  
My words will warm and calm you_

I hummed along, closing my eyes and swaying. Tidus slipped his arms around my waist and swayed with me, pressing his lips to my neck. I reached back and ruffled his blonde hair, still humming.

_  
Let me be your freedom,  
let daylight dry your tears.  
I'm here with you, beside you,  
To guard you and to guide you..._

_Say you love me every waking moment,  
Turn my head with talk of summertime...  
Say you need me with you now and always...  
Promise me that all you say is true  
That's all I ask of you_

"I love you every waking moment," Tidus whispered. "I need you with me now and always."

"Cheese ball," I laughed.

"What? The music told me to."

_Let me be your shelter  
Let me be your light  
You're safe, No one will find you  
Your fears are far behind you..._

I laughed inwardly. My fears were not far behind me; no, they were right in front of me. They were a girl who'd known Tidus for less than two days, and they were a girl that was already dead. And still, they oppressed me.

_All I want is freedom,  
A world with no more night  
And you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me..._

I stifled another low laugh. Freedom? Oh, the doubt was killing me. It was almost as painful and stupefying as it had been in high school. Was I still so weak that I doubted our love? '_Yes'_ I told myself. '_You are.'_

_Then say you'll share with me  
One love, one lifetime  
_

'_Christine is a lucky girl,'_ I thought, still swaying with Tidus. '_She is so sure of her love… What am I doing!? I'm the one who's ruining it.'_

_Let me lead you from your solitude  
Say you need me with you here, beside you...  
_

I began to cry.

_Anywhere you go, let me go too  
Christine, that's all I ask of you..._

_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime...  
Say the word and I will follow you..._

Tidus stopped swaying and turned me around. I kept crying.

_Share each day with me,  
Each night, each morning...  
Say you love me..._

_You know I do..._

"Yuna?" he asked worriedly. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No," I whispered through my sobs. "I'm not!"

_Love me - that's all I ask of you_

I sat down on the bed, and Tidus knelt at it, wiping my tears with a pained expression. He was worried, of course, and I was ruining everything.

"What's wrong, Yuna?"

"I… I don't… I'm sorry! I'm ruining everything! Ever since Marza… I've been thinking that you loved her! And she loved, you, and I… oh, I don't know!" I cried even harder, hiding my ashamed face in my hands. Gently, Tidus lifted my head away from my hands.

"I could have loved Marza. There's no doubt. But the fact is, I never loved Marza. That whole time you were trapped, I could think of only you. You are my life, Yuna. I know it sounds cheesy, but that's the truth."

_Anywhere you go, let me go too_

"I'm sorry," I cried, "I know I'm being stupid."

"It's not stupid to feel the way you feel, Yuna! That's never stupid. It's just… Marza was so much like you. That's why I was attracted to her. But that thought crossed my mind for less than a split second. I could never love anyone the way I love you. I love you, and I promise that I will never hurt you. At least, not intentionally."

I smiled through the tears. "Thank you," my voice cracked, and I hugged him. I was dangling my legs over the side of the bed, and he was kneeling on the floor, so I sort of hugged his head, but it was still a hug.

_Love me - that's all I ask of you..._

Silently, the CD player turned off and my tears dried on my cheeks. Raine had been right—I just needed to communicate. So then Tidus decided to communicate more.

He reached into the bag he'd brought home earlier and pulled something out, something I couldn't see.

"I know almost everything about you… but there were still some things I'd been missing. I remembered your ring size is seven, your favorite color is red, and you like Skittles for a lot of different reasons. You're an only child, and you love moogles. You like to sing, and you sing Soprano 1. Your best subject in high school was math. Your favorite book is 'Where The Heart Is'."

I nodded. "Yeah, those things are all true."

"I know everything about you, Yuna. I love everything about you. I always have. Do you still love me as much as you did in high school?"

I smiled. "No, Tidus, I don't. I love you even _more_ than I did when we were in school. I know your favorite color is blue, and you like to mix whipped cream with your soda. You have a twin brother, and you like chocobos. You don't like to sing, but if you did, you'd be a Tenor voice part. Your best subject in school was Physical Education. Your favorite book is 'Angels and Demons.'"

"Yes," he said softly. "That's all true. So… Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime?" I tilted my head as he revealed to me what he had bought that day. "I remember that I was going to ask you after we graduated college, but I don't want to wait any more. Besides, we don't actually have to have the ceremony until we're ready. What do you say?"

A ring. An engagement ring. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my entire life. It was also the most terrifying. In my head, this had happened a million times, and in a million different ways. But when it's real, it's almost overwhelming. My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't speak. I swallowed, extended my hand, and was about to answer.

Then, the door burst open, and Raine exclaimed, "Hey, Yuna, where are the… clean… towels…" Raine blinked fiercely and slammed the door shut. I laughed a bit, and Tidus blushed, apparently getting hit with the same emotional shock as I had been.

I smiled, and kissed him. "I love you, Tidus. I want to spend forever with you."

He slipped the ring onto my finger and smiled back. "I'll make you happy, Yuna."

I laughed. "Oh, Tidus. You already have!"

* * *

Sahrah: Okay, the REAL end of chapter 11. I WILL DEFINITELY UPDATE TWICE THIS MONTH. NAG ME LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE, PLEASE. Ahem. Now then, I have some dedications I'd like to make. If you have ever read, commented, or had anything to do with this story and you're still reading it and being patient with me, this chapter was all you, baby! Also, I'd like to tell you all that **my AIM screen name is still YunieIsOnFire, and my deviantART name is DirgeofSorrow,** and I _**love**_ to hear you guys talk to me. I promise I won't be creeped out. Okay, well, next chapter is a bit of a timeskip, but it is still a chapter. There are… lets say… two more chapters and an epilogue to go. I also want to thank everyone; A Leap of Faith was done on a whim and has turned into something so fantastic for me, I can't even thank any of you enough. But more on that next time. Until then, eat waffles!

Squall: What, you're not going to tell them to review? ...Whatever. I'll do it. Press the review button. Type something nice. See you soon.


	12. Always Together

Sahrah: Whew! I finally got it up! Sorry it took so long, guys.

bloodredx: Well, you're justified. You had evil midterms.

Sahrah: Not for two months I didn't... but my good excuse is at the bottem!

bloodredx: You didn't have the good excuse in the raw version. So you lied.

Sahrah: What!? Yes I did. Did you READ the raw?

bloodredx: Yes. I shall check again.

me: ...Well okay then. In the meantime, enjoy chapter 12! Oh, and the song belongs to Howie Day. The characters belong to me!

Lawyers: No they fucking do _not._

Sahrah: ehehehe... right.Well. **Yuna's point of view.**

**Chapter 12: Always Together  
**

One Year and Five Months Later

It's funny how time flies, and how things change. A year and five months had passed since the night Tidus had proposed to me. Rikku and Gippal, having blown the musical world away with their performances, were being given contracts for the Broadway tour of 'The Phantom of the Opera'. This sudden income allowed them to get married much earlier. It was actually their six month wedding anniversary.

It was December, and we were all at Paine's winter house in Mt. Gagazet. As it turns out, Raine's house isn't too far from ours, so it makes for an excellent vacation. Rikku and Gippal weren't able to come, though—Broadway is quite demanding. But I know Ri and Gip are having a lot of fun, and are very happy together.

"Yuna!" called Lulu from the other room. "Hurry up with the hot chocolate; the boys look like they're going to freeze. And Raine, although she's a lot drier."

"It's their own fault!" I laughed. "They're the ones who decided to have a snowball fight!"

"I won!" Raine cheered.

"Be that as it may, I'll be pissed if they freeze in my family room," complained Paine with a hint of humor in her tone.

"Fine, fine, I'm on my way," I answered, grabbing the tray of steaming hot cocoa and walking swiftly into the den, with Shuyin, 'Lai, Tidus, Wakka, Squall, and Raine looking like snowmen on the couch, their lips blue and their bodies shivering, despite the thick blankets. Their cheeks were bright red, and they were laughing.

Lulu and Paine were sitting on an adjacent couch, and Lenne and the six-year-old Emma were sitting on the floor playing with Barbie dolls.

"Hot chocolate!" I exclaimed, passing out the mugs, "with extra marshmallows and a candy cane for stirring."

"Yuna, you're spoiling us!" laughed Shuyin, taking his warm drink gratefully. Even Squall cracked a small smile and nodded thankfully as he raised the cup to his lips.

Lenne took one for herself and one for her young daughter. "Be careful, Em," she instructed her child, "it's very hot."

"Don't worry Mommy," Emma assured her, taking a sip and yelping as she burned her tongue. Lenne shook her head.

"I warned you," she sighed and took a drink from her own cup. Raine giggled, and Tidus smiled at his niece.

"I wish it would snow," sighed Paine, putting her mug onto the table and resting her chin on her hands.

"Please, the ground is covered with snow. Just because it hasn't snowed in a week doesn't mean we don't have plenty," Shuyin answered before turning his attention back to his daughter.

"Hey, Emma," Tidus said with a grin, "Do you know what today is?"

"Christmas Eve!" exclaimed the little girl. "Mommy said we can open some presents tonight."

"Awesome!" enthused Raine. Agreeing that this was a good idea, we all slid one gift out from under the mighty evergreen in the corner, with little Emma greedily eyeing the ones that wouldn't be touched until the next morning. Lulu opened hers first; it was a book about black magic from her favorite writer. The gift was from Rikku, who had mailed everyone's presents from Luca where their theatre company was performing "Phantom of the Opera" at that time. She'd also sent Gippal's presents.

Wakka had gotten a new Blitz Ball signed by some famous player; courtesy of Tidus. Paine had received a pretty silver necklace with a cute inscription from Baralai, and Baralai had gotten a gift certificate to his favorite restaurant from Gippal.

The gift opening went on; I opened a gift from Emma, written in her adorable six-year-old handwriting, with the 'a' in my name written backwards and the 'n' written in uppercase. Inside of the box was nothing, so I looked questioningly at Lenne and her daughter.

"I filled it with kisses!" exclaimed the little girl. "So that whenever you want one you just open the box." She beamed, and it was such an adorable gift that I had no choice but to hug her.

"Thank you, Emma. I love it." I planted a kiss at the top of her blonde head and she reached for her own present, Lulu's gift to her. It was a pop-up book of some type.

Before we knew it, it was late and time for sleep. Emma protested, but Shuyin told his daughter that Santa wouldn't come if she was awake, so it didn't take long before the child was in bed. Raine and Squall embarked to the Gagazet native's house in the dark, and everyone else trudged up the stairs to bed.

"Yuna," Tidus whispered as we heard the last door close upstairs.

"Yeah?"

"It's snowing." I turned my attention to the window. It was indeed snowing.

"I love snow!" I exclaimed in an excited whisper, whirling back around to see my fiancée fully dressed in winter gear, holding out my hat, coat, and gloves. Wordlessly, I slipped into the jacket and zipped it up as Tidus pulled the hat gently over my ears. Once I'd assembled my boots, gloves, and scarf, we opened the back door of the house and shut it silently behind us.

There is a certain calm that comes with the silence of snowfall. It's like the entire world has stopped, and the moment becomes a magical one etched into your mind forever. It was a moment like no other. I slipped a gloved hand into Tidus's, and we stood in silence for a minute before stepping off the porch and into the crystal white world.

The snow swirled around silently in the yard, dazzling white flakes whipping around my face. I let go of Tidus's hand and held my arms out as I spun slowly, the soundless opera of the icy winter filling my senses. Tidus came up behind me and rested his chin on my head, his arms around me. It was serenity.

"I love you," he said. I smiled, closed my eyes, a sigh contentedly.

"I love you, too," I answered into the night. Soon, unfortunately, the elements had their way and it was too cold to stay outside without getting sick. With regret in our steps, we went back into the house, left our soggy winter apparel at the door, and tiptoed up the stairs to the room we'd shared at the house since our senior year of high school.

"I want to give you your present now," he whispered in my ear once we'd shut the door. I smiled.

"Okay," I answered. Tidus drew a small box from behind his back and I opened it. It was a small piece of mistletoe, and I smirked as he drew it out of the box and dangled it above my head.

"You're such a sap!" I giggled, throwing my arms around him and kissing him.

"Are you just realizing this now?"

"Hardly."

"As long as we understand each other…" he murmured, delving his tongue into my mouth, dropping the leaf to the floor as he held me with his strong arms. I kissed back fiercely, and pressed myself against him.

And well, I suppose you can guess what happened then.

**Tidus's Point of View**

I woke up before Yuna. I usually did the morning after sex; she was such a deep sleeper. I smiled as the sunlight from the window washed over her cherubic face.

_The dawn is breaking_

_A light shining through_

She had a few strands of hair crossing her face, stuck to her lips. I reached over and brushed the hair away, fingertips lingering on her soft cheek. I wanted to stay like that forever. She was so beautiful, and all I wanted was to stay with her and make her happy.

_You're barely waking_

_And I'm tangled up in you_

_Yeah_

Softly, her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled sleepily. She pressed her hand on top of mine.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Merry Christmas." I smiled back.

_But I'm open, you're closed_

_Where I follow, you'll go_

_I worry I won't see your face_

_Light up again_

"Mm… Thanks for the gift," she murmured, leaning over to press her lips to mine.

"That was my gift to me. Where's yours?" I teased.

"…wait…" She sat up a bit, holding the blanket over her breasts. "Christmas morning…? Emma's favorite holiday?"

I caught on. "And we're… naked…" We turned and faced each other quickly.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

"Emma!" Scrambling to throw the covers away from our bodies, we groped for out discarded pajamas that littered the floor. Fully clothed, we dove back under the warmth of the covers; just in time for the six-year-old to throw open the door to the bedroom.

"Uncle Tidus! Aunt Yunie! Come on! Aunt Lulu made waffles and she wants to start eating soon!"

_Out of the doubt that fills my mind_

_I somehow find, you and I collide_

"Well, we can't keep Lulu waiting. There won't be any breakfast left if we do," Yuna giggled, shoving the blankets away for a second time, slipping bare feet into pale pink slippers and tying a fluffy bathrobe securely around her waist.

"Come on, come _onnn!_" exclaimed Emma, grabbing Yuna's hand and pulling her urgently towards the door. Yuna laughed and nodded, following as best she could.

_I'm quiet, you know_

_You make a first impression_

"Tidus, hurry up!" Yuna exclaimed, mimicking Emma slightly with a grin. I grinned back, standing up and walking around the bed to follow my niece and my fiancée out the door.

**Yuna's Point of View**

Upon arriving downstairs, three things were obvious. The first was that if no one consumed any waffles soon, Lulu would eat them all and there would be none left. The second was that 'Santa' had come, and the collection of brightly wrapped packages under the tree had tripled. The third was that it was snowing out, and soon it would be insisted upon that everyone go skiing or snowboarding.

_I've found I'm scared to know_

_I'm always on your mind_

Emma sat down at the table in the kitchen and urged me to sit next to her. Tidus sat next to me and smiled before leaning over to put some waffles on Emma's plate and my plate.

After eating, everyone hurried upstairs and got dressed. Wakka called Raine's house, but Squall answered and said Raine probably wouldn't be awake for awhile. That girl had a tendency to sleep as late as three in the afternoon if she wasn't woken up. Squall promised to wake her at 11 for some fun on the slopes.

Satisfied, we set off down the road to the ski lift that would bring us to the middle of the mountain. Lulu and Wakka took the first lift, followed by Lenne, Shuyin, and Emma. Paine and 'Lai took the next one.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the stars refuse to shine_

"Get ready for the next one," yawned the ski lift worker, bored, his eyes half closed in sleepiness. Tidus ran and jumped into the empty seat as it swung around on the cable, and I ran for it too, but I tripped. My fiancée laughed as I hurriedly picked myself up.

"Better hurry," the attendant said in a monotone voice.

_Out of the back you fall in time_

_You somehow find, you and I collide_

"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled as I tried again, jumping into the seat just in time for it to take us to the ski ground. Tidus sat next to me and sniggered as I adjusted myself. I rolled my eyes.

_Don't stop here_

With a sigh, I leaned against him.

"I love you," he said. I smiled, swinging my feet over the vast space below the lift. Man it was a long way down.

"Heights like this kinda make me want to spit over the side," Tidus commented.

"Ew! Don't you dare!" I exclaimed, waving my arms at him.

"Think it'd freeze on the way down?"

"Stop talking about that!"

"Maybe it'd hit someone."

"Shut up!" I laughed, imagining an innocent snowboarder being struck with an icy wad of spit. "That's disgusting, Tidus!"

"Yeah… But you _know_ it would be funny."

"No."

"A little?"

"Maybe." I looked the other way, hiding my smile. It would be a little funny.

_I've lost my place_

When the lift arrived at the lodge, we rented our boards and skis. Tidus, Lenne, Baralai, and I decided to ski, while Paine, Lulu, and Wakka wanted to snowboard. Shuyin took Emma to the bunny slopes to teach her the basics of skiing.

I was still no good at skiing, of course, so I kept lagging behind Tidus.

"Heeeey, wait for me!" I giggled. He spun around and quickly slid over to me so he could tickle me and distract me from my very tedious task of not falling down.

"Here, let me _help_," Tidus teased, poking me with his gloved hands, both of us laughing. Eventually, we fell over into a snow drift. Lenne and Baralai came up besides us.

"You guys okay?" Lenne asked with a smirk as she held out her hand to help me up.

_I'm close behind_

"Physically," I replied, brushing snow away from my coat and hat. Tidus continued to laugh as his best friend pulled him out of the snow.

As promised, a few hours later, Raine and Squall arrived. Raine had her own snowboard, custom made, and Squall had a rental. We skied and boarded all day, and went home as twilight began to set in over the mountains. Emma, as it turned out, is naturally pretty good at skiing.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

_Out of the doubt that fills your mind_

We sat in the den drinking hot chocolate, relaying stories of ski accidents, and laughing. The phone rang, and upon checking the caller I.D., Squall determined that it was Rikku calling from Luca and turned on the speakerphone.

"_Hi everyone_!" Rikku's voice crooned from the phone. "_Merry Christmas!"_

"And Hanukah!" exclaimed Raine, leaning forward.

"How's Broadway?" asked Lulu.

"_Abso-awesome-tastic!"_ Gippal replied, apparently with Rikku for the phone call.

_You finally find, you and I collide_

_"It's good to hear everyone's having fun!_" Rikku giggled. "_I miss you like crazy."_

_"You're good at crazy,"_ Gippal commented, and then he was heard grunting, so we assumed Rikku had punched him in the gut.

"We went skiing today!" Emma said. "Daddy taught me how. He said I was good at it. It was fun."

"_That's so awesome, Emma! I'm glad you're all having fun."_

"We miss you guys, too," I said. It was lonely without Rikku. Not that I didn't love all my friends that were with me, but Rikku was also my cousin, and my sister.

"_We're always together,_" Rikku answered. "_My mom used to say that. So don't worry, Yunie! …Ow!_" A rustling noise was heard, along with a few thumps, and then Gippal spoke.

"_We have to go now, but we wanted to say hi._"

"Bye, dude," Shuyin said. "Bye, Ri." And with that, the phone was placed back in the cradle.

_You finally find_

"Well, I think it's bedtime," Lenne said, lifting Emma up in her arms and making for the stairs.

"I'm tired, too," Wakka agreed, followed by Lulu, who yawned loudly before marching upstairs. We all followed, going to our respective bedrooms. After changing and brushing teeth, it was time for slumber. Under the thick, warm covers, I slipped my hand into Tidus's.

"We're always together," I whispered..

Tidus smiled. "Yeah."

"That was a bit unlike Rikku to say… but I'm glad she did." Tidus nodded and kissed my head, pulling up the covers. I smiled too, releasing his hand to turn out the light.

_You and I collide._

**End of chapter 12**

Sahrah: Whew! I made it! Well, I wish a belated "happy holidays" to you all. Happy New Year, too! I hope everyone has been having a good one so far. Now, I have my excuse, and here it is. MIDTERMS. I just finished midterms.

Squall: That doesn't make up for December's lack of update.

Sahrah: I have something for that too! See, as I may or may not have mentioned, I'm in charge of the costume department for my school theatre company. They make me stay after school until six in the evening, and when I get home, it's been a 12-hour day and I'm exhausted. And it isn't even done at that point, ohhh no. I still have homework, chores, and that funny thing people like to do… sleeping… Needless to say, I have very _veeeery_ little time for writing. Which makes me sad. But I'm doing my best!

Squall: On the other hand, Sahrah aced all of her midterms and got the best score in her entire Biology class, thus raising the class average.

Sahrah: Yay! Please forgive me for my lateness. OH, AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT!

**_Annoucement_: I have changed a song I used in 'A Leap of Faith.' It is in chapter 2 (Karaoke Beat) and I am removing the song Tidus sings to Yuna (which was "Story of a Girl") and I changed it to "Yours To Hold". I think this song fits better. You don't really have to look, because nothing else changed except the song, but the lyrics are pretty, so it's worth it to check it out. It's a wonderful song. **

Squall: …Review. See that button? The one that says 'Go' on it? Push it.


	13. The Star of My Show

Sahrah: Happy Leap Year Day Thing or whatever. Sorry this is a short little GippalxRikku belated Valentine's Day filler, which is dedicated to Zoey because she made me pretty artwork. But this is really short. I wanted to write something short and sweet for Rikku and Gippal because they were away last time.

Squall: What, nothing annoying to say as to why this was posted at the last possible minute? Not going to mention this is a raw? No disclaimer? Useless…

Sahrah: Psht. They know me by now. Again, this is a short little chapter. EMPHASIS ON THE SHORT. Ehehe, quality, not quantity, right?

Squall: Speak for yourself.

Sahrah: Ehehehe… **Rikku's Point of View.**

**Chapter 13: The Star of My Show**

So it was Valentine's Day. Six in the morning on Valentine's Day. And let me just mention that there were NO roses or breakfasts in bed or cards or chocolate. Not at six in the morning on the day of opening night. I think Gip and I were super disoriented when we woke up in the hotel room.

We were woken up at six on the morning by our director, Isaaru, who is even more of a morning person than I am, and it's actually annoying. To me. Isaaru ran up and down the hallway where all the cast and crew were staying for the following month while we performed the city. I think someone made the mistake of giving him a bullhorn.

Quickly, Gippal and I rolled out of the big squishy bed and threw on sweats. We ran into the hallway where a slew of actors and techies were gathering groggily for breakfast. An hour later, we were at the Luca Playhouse, setting props into their places and putting on stage makeup, which is totally different than normal makeup because you need to glob it onto your face so you don't look like a blank piece of paper on the stage.

Anyway, I was helping Gippal with his eyeliner—yes, boys have to wear makeup on stage too. It sooooo does NOT mean they're gay or whatever, not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean our director's gay for Yevon's sake. But yes, guys wear makeup on stage too. If they don't, their expressions can't be picked up and their faces look white as fresh snow under the stage lights. So I was helping my fiancé with his eyeliner, and before I got the chance to say 'Happy Valentine's Day' to him, the makeup crew chief yanks him away to do his 'Phantom' makeup, which involves removing his sexy eye patch—YOU KNOW IT'S VERY SEXY—and making that side of his face look icky.

In case anyone's wondering, he lost the sight in that eye from a car accident when he was really little. Just thought I'd share with the class.

I was kind of sad, because I thought he'd forgotten it was Valentine's Day. So while the costume crew chief, a nice girl from Kilika, is helping me with the corset I have to wear, I can't help but complain.

"Manda, it's Valentine's Day," I pouted as she pulled on the ribbons of the costume.

"That it is," she replied, grunting with the effort of the tying. And it was tight, so it hurt. Ouchies!

"So why am I here and not on a date?" I frowned. "And ouch! That hurt!"

"Sorry," Manda amended. "And you're not on a date because it is opening night and _you're_ the star of the show. And even if you weren't, your husband is the other star."

Of course she was right, regrettably, but soon it was too late for me to talk to anyone, because the audience lights dimmed and the pit orchestra blasted out the music of the overture soon after the prologue, and we rushed onto the stage in costume.

As Christine, I sang my song about how much I love Raoul, and then the Phantom (whose name is actually Erik, which you'll only know if you like, read the book, because Andrew Lloyd Webber, the guy who wrote the Broadway show thought it wasn't important for anyone to know his name, which I think is totally not cool, but whatever) sends Christine a bunch of Roses for her performance.

So we have this super-real looking plastic set of roses for the prop, which was made by the props crew chiefs, Al and Jules. And they get delivered to "Christine's" room after her performance. But when the actress playing Madame Giry gave me the roses, they sure as hell weren't fake plastic ones. They were real, beautiful, crimson red roses with a tiny card on them. I lifted the card up.

"_You're my angel of music. Happy Valentine's Day. Love always, Gippal."_ I smiled softly at the letter and looked up at the actress. Behind her, offstage on the wing, was my 'Phantom' standing with a grin on his face. His mask hid half of his smile, but I know it was there. Then the stage manager, Kate, she shooed him to the other side for his entrance through the mirror.

I almost missed my line; luckily Pete, the guy playing Raoul, covered for me, saying, "Got that, Christine? I'll see you in a few minutes." With a grateful smirk, 'Christine' protested as 'Raoul' left.

Somewhere behind me, the Phantom started singing "The Mirror."

* * *

After the show was over and everything was cleaned up, a bunch of the cast and crew wanted to explore the city. Sadly, however, it was past midnight, and that meant that technically, Valentine's Day was over. With a sigh, I waited outside the Broadway building for Gippal. 

And then I felt raindrops on my face. Oh, perfect. Rain. Which makes me think of Raine. Which makes me think of all my friends, and how maybe they got to go out for Valentine's Day with their loves instead of work. I closed my eyes and gripped the bouquet of roses I was given onstage. Next to me, a door opens and then closes, and Gippal slips my hand into his and kisses me on the cheek.

"Great show. I hope you liked your flowers," he said, giving my hand a squeeze.

"I did," I replied, "But I'm kind of sad." We started to walk through the rain to our hotel, getting thoroughly soaked in the process.

"Why?"

"Because we didn't do anything _special_ for _Valentine's Day!_ And now it's over, so we'll have to wait a whole 'nother year, and—" Gippal silenced me with a kiss.

"My Valentine's Day," he murmured, "Was incredibly special."

"Really?" I murmured back, pushing my soaked bangs out of my face. "How come?"

"You were in it." And with that, he takes off running towards the hotel.

"Heeeeey! Get back here!" I exclaim, laughing and running after him. When I finally got to the hotel, I couldn't see him. The receptionist at the front desk just looked at me with a bored stare and said that no, no crazy blonde guy with an eye patch had come into the lobby. I figured Gip was planning something, so I shrugged and got into the elevator.

**Gippal's Point of View**

I can't believe I said something so sappy. But Rikku seemed to like it, so I said it and then took off running to enact my master plan. I ran as fast as I could through the lobby and up to the happy looking receptionist.

"Hey there," she said.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked her hurriedly, looking back at the door, where Rikku had not yet emerged.

"Umm, I guess so…"

"My wifeis gonna come through that door any second. If she asks you if she's seen me, can you please tell her no? I'm giving her a surprise for Valentine's Day."

This seemed to please the receptionist (she was probably a romantic) and she smiled and nodded. "Yessir! Good luck with that." I thanked her and took off up the stairs, knowing that if I ran, I could beat Rikku to the punch.

I unlocked the door to the room and hid.

**Rikku's Point of View**

When I opened the door to the hotel room, the lights were all off.

"Gippal!" I exclaimed, "You get your butt out here!" I looked around wildly. I flicked on a light, and saw nothing. Taking a few steps into the room, I put my roses on the table and my soaking wet coat over a chair.

Strong arms hugged me from behind and I smiled.

"I know it's not Valentine's Day anymore," he whispered, "But that doesn't mean I can't show you how much I love you."

I smirked, even though he couldn't see.

"I don't need Valentine's Day to show you how much I care, but I know it's important to you," Gippal said. "Rikku, you're the star of my show."

"That's such a lame thing to say," I complained.

"Oh,_ouch_!" he laughed. "You're a charmer, you know that?"

"Of course I am!" I exclaimed, turning around in his arms and hugging him fiercely. "But you, Gip, you're something else. I love you so much."

"You're my angel of music," he told me.

"And_ you're_ my love," I replied.

He kissed my nose. "That, Rikku, is a lame thing to say." I kissed his lips.

"Fine, then I take it back!" We kissed again, but longer.

"And _that_," he said, "Is taking it back?" He deepened the kiss.

"Sure it is." I pulled away and led him to the bed, where I jumped on it dramatically and smiled sexily. "Come on."

So that was the day after Valentine's Day. It was almost as good.

**End of Chapter 13**

Squall: Yeah, okay, what kind of chapter was that?

Sahrah: …A… short one…?

Squall: Oh really. ((Sarcasm))

Sahrah: Yeah. Really. Happy belated Valentine's Day, guys! And don't ask what kind of theatre company opens on Valentine's Day. Because the correct answer would be mine. Seriously. Massive amounts of cast and crew members were whining about the missed holiday, and so I said, "HEY! You don't need a holiday to tell someone how much you love them." Thus, this chapter was born. Fun fact: It's only one day and two hours late. Yay me!

Squall: …Whatever. Oh, and in case anyone cares, all the crew members were named after actual members of Sahrah's school's theatre company.

Sahrah: Indeed they were. I want to mention, I am a CO-costume crew chief. My better half is one of my best friends in the whole world, Mandarin. So she got a cameo. I ought to tell her sometime. In the meantime... READERS! PRESS THE PRETTY REVIEW BUTTON! IT GIVES FREE COOKIES I SWEEEARRRR.


	14. You And Me

Sahrah: Yay! An update! Almost two months late! Ehehehe... hehe... heh... Sorry. I'm sorry. Thanks for your patience.

Squall: Yeah, well, it's to be expected. The day you update on time is the day the theatre club runs a dress rehearsal without you losing something or being yelled at.

Sahrah: …I don't wanna talk about it. Anyway, about the chapter… Blech. I think I send the gang on waaaay too many vacations. Also, it's way too fluffy. These people need to, like, break up, or die in a fire or something. Seriously.

Squall: Wait, we're going on ANOTHER vacation?

Sahrah: Yeah, this time it's everyone's spring break. And I possibly deserve to be shot because people in my fanfics keep getting engaged and married and whatnot. I need mayhemmmm…

Squall: So cause mayhem.

Sahrah: I can't, this story will be over soon. For now, we're ready for an extremely Mary-Sue, fluffy, predictable chapter. Sorry that this chapter revolves around Raine. Besides her, all the characters belong to Square Enix. The music is from RENT (the awesome Broadway musical) and also the excellent band, Lighthouse. Predictably, starts as **Yuna's Point of View.**

**Chapter 14: You And Me**

It was the last spring break any of us would ever experience. That is, any of us except for Raine, who would be a junior in the following school year and therefore had two left. Deciding to make the most of it, Squall invited us up to his home on Besaid Island.

I'd never been to Besaid, but Tidus had, and I heard it was beautiful, so of course I agreed. As did Rikku and Gippal, who were preparing auditions for their troupe's next show, Paine and Baralai, and Lulu and Wakka. Lenne, Shuyin, and Emma would be coming down later in the week.

It was Wednesday, and we'd been in Besaid since Sunday. Squall's family only had a small condo, so most of us were camped out in the living room. His mom and her new husband were away for the week on some sort of cruise, so Squall and Raine took the master bedroom, and the guest bedroom was left empty for multiple reasons. Two reasons, to be specific. And the reasons would be the two tiny guest beds that are hard as rocks. Thusly, we voted for the floor. Which is soft and squishy and somewhat enjoyable.

Anyway, it was early evening, and everyone was on the porch or in the backyard. Rikku, Gippal, Raine, Shuyin, and Wakka were fishing (there was a lake in the backyard of all the condos, filled with catch-and-releasable fish), and Squall, Tidus, and Baralai were working together to grill burgers for dinner. Lenne and Emma were playing patty cake, and Paine was reading a book she'd picked up at the airship port. I was taking pictures with my new camera.

"Say cheese, guys!" I exclaimed, pointing the lens at Tidus and the other grillers.

"What are you _doing?_" asked Squall with a sigh.

"Making memories," I replied, rushing over to the wannabe fishermen. They hadn't caught anything the entire time we'd been in Besaid. They certainly wouldn't be doing so now. I snapped a few more pictures, before the guys working the grill called us to the table for dinner.

Besaid certainly was a nice place, and Squall's home was especially comfortable. Everything seemed to be going well, until Raine pulled me aside.

"Hey, you want to go for a walk?" she asked. Her grip on my arm made it more of a demand. I nodded.

Once outside, we set off along the twilit road as the sun continued to set.

"What's up, Raine?" I was worried about my younger friend.

"Well, see, it's like… you guys are all gonna graduate in a few months, right? But I'll just be a junior, and see… it's kind of… I'm worried about my relationship with Squall, I guess. I mean, like, my relationship with all of you guys, of course, but him in particular, because, well you know…" she gulped. "I don't want to lose him."

I laughed. "Raine, you won't. He's crazy about you. I think. Sometimes it's hard to tell." She did not appreciate my joke, however. She glared at me. "Sorry. Look, that guy loves you, okay? No matter what."

"How do you know?" Raine grouched.

"Because it's in his eyes."

"That's cheesy."

"No, I'm serious." And I was. I'd seen that look in his eyes when he looked at Raine. It was the same look I saw in Gippal's eyes when he was with Rikku, and in Baralai's eyes when he looked at Paine. Same with Wakka, Shuyin, and Tidus. I'd seen the look many times, and with many guys. But every time, it was the same happy warmth, the same spark of happiness, the same joyous light.

It was love. This does, I admit, sound silly.

**Tidus's Point of View**

"Stop playing with the radio!" exclaimed Rikku. "We need to listen to the whole soundtrack!"

"No you don't!" exclaimed Wakka. "We're tired of hearing RENT, ya!?"

"I like it!" called Baralai. Paine laughed quietly as she turned a page in her book.

I rolled my eyes. Rikku and Gippal's theatre troupe would soon be auditioning for their next show, RENT. Yes, it is the show about gay people, AIDS, and starving artists. For the record, the plot is powerful and the characters are deep. …Yevon I sound like a girl.

Anyway, Rikku wanted to listen to the original soundtrack so she would be able to sing well for her audition, but Wakka hated the music and wanted to stop listening to Broadway for a while.

Raine and Yuna walked back in a few moments later as a song called "I'll Cover You" began to play.

_Live in my house  
I'll be your shelter  
Just pay me back  
With one thousand kisses  
Be my lover - I'll cover you_

Because the song is a duet between two guys, Gippal sang along with the bigger guy's part, and Rikku began to dance. Paine tapped her foot until 'Lai grabbed her book, put it on the table, and pulled her into a dance.

I got up too, twirling Yuna as she laughed.

"Squallll! Let's dance! Come on!" begged Raine.

"I don't dance," he answered with a frown.

"Pleeeeease?" I heard him grunt. I assumed she gave him the puppy-eyes-that-no-man-ever-resists, because soon he and Raine were dancing as well.

_Open your door  
I'll be your tenant  
Don't got much baggage  
To lay at your feet  
But sweet kisses I've got to spare_

"And they're all for you!" Yuna whispered as we swayed.

"Every single one of them?" I teased.

"Yeah!"

_  
I'll be there – and I'll cover you_

_I think they meant it  
When they said you can't buy love  
Now I know you can rent it  
A new lease you are, my love,  
On life - be my life_

Gippal reached over and raised the volume. Yuna locked her arms around my shoulders and I hugged her, breathed in her scent. She was so beautiful. (A/N: So everyone understands by now that Tidus and Yuna are in love, right?)

_  
Just slip me on  
I'll be your tenant  
Wherever - whatever - I'll be your coat_

_"You'll be my king, and I'll be your castle!"_ Rikku sang along with the tenor guy's part.

_"No, you'll be my queen, and I'll be your moat!"_ Gippal countered_._

_I think they meant it  
When they said you can't buy love  
Now I know you can rent it  
A new lease you are, my love,  
On life - all my life  
I've longed to discover  
Something as true as this is_

_"So, with a thousand sweet kisses—"_ sang Gippal

_"—If you're cold and you're lonely—" _Rikku refrained_  
"—I'll cover you, with a thousand sweet kisses—"_

_"—You've got one nickel only, with a thousand sweet kisses—"_

_"—When you're worn out and tired—"  
"—I'll cover you with a thousand sweet kisses—"  
"—When your heart has expired—"_

_"Ohh, lover, I'll cover you! Yeahhh!"_

Then they sang the last line together, _"Oh, lover, I'll cover you…"_

We all applauded as the song ended and the lively couple bowed jokingly. Then Gippal knocked Rikku over out of her curtsy and ran out into the backyard, where she proceeded to chase him with the hose.

I'm still amazed that people who act like children can get married. Lulu began to laugh, nearly doubling over, because Emma suddenly decided to play tag with Aunt Rikku and Uncle Gippal and had taken off after the married couple screaming with joy.

The slightly more normal ones of our group watched in amusement. Soon, though, I felt a tug on my sleeve and I turned to see Squall Leonhart tilting his head towards the front door.

"Hey, I'm going for a walk with Squall. I'll be back soon," I leaned over and kissed Yuna's cheek. Then I walked to the door with my friend, wondering what was up.

Once the door shut behind us, he turned to me.

"When you asked Yuna to live with you, how did you do it?" he asked me bluntly.

I laughed a bit. "Well, I didn't exactly _ask _her, it was a weird circumstance…" I scratched at my cheek, remembering Yuna sobbing, dripping wet, clinging to my brother because she so badly needed to be held.

"…Oh." Squall sounded disappointed.

"Why do you ask, man? You gonna ask Raine to live with you or something?"

I think I hit the nail on the head. He coughed loudly and averted his eyes. I think he might have been blushing. I grinned, slinging an arm around his neck and giving him a noogie.

"All right, Squall! Go for it!" I chortled. The brown-haired man fidgeted out of my grasp and smoothed his somewhat messy hair as much as he could.

"It's not just that, Tidus," he groaned. "You remember the night we bought the rings?"

"Sure. You helped me pick one for Yunie, and I helped you pick one for Raine. Why would I forget?" Then it dawned on me. "You're gonna ask Raine to marry you."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah."

"Congratulations, Squall!"

"H-hey, it's not like she said yes or anything…" he mumbled.

"But she will."

"Maybe."

"She will!"

"…Whatever."

I tilted my head. "Are you scared, man?" He looked back, confusion swimming in his eyes.

"Of what?" he replied.

I shrugged. "I don't know, it's kind of a scary thing to do. You're askin' her to spend forever with you, it's kind of… a little frightening, I think."

Squall smirked and shook his head. "'Cowards die many times before their deaths,'" he said. "'The valiant never taste of death but once.'"

WHAT. What does _that _mean!? My brunette friend chuckled at the confusion written on my face. "It's Shakespeare," he added, walking briskly towards the house.

"No wonder I didn't understand," I mumbled, running to catch up. "So what does it mean?"

He looked back and laughed, a low and dark sound, and then kept walking without an answer. (A/N: I'll dedicate the next chapter to the first person who tells me what that means. Except for bloodredx, she knows what it means.)

"No fair!" I complained. He rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

**Yuna's Point of View**

The next day was spent in the pool. Squall's condo existed in a development of similar houses, and all the condos shared a pool. Squall's mom and step-dad were lucky enough to have one of the homes next to the pool, so we liked to hop the short stone fence instead of wasting precious moments walking around the pool house.

Emma had begged and begged to ride in a fishing boat the entire time she'd been in Besaid, and this day the guys caved in and took her along, minus Squall (presumably because he disliked fishing). Paine opted to join them.

Lulu, Lenne, Rikku, Raine, Squall and I went to the pool. Rikku and Paine wrestled with the radio while I sat on a long beach chair and read a book I'd bought at the airship port. Lenne napped on a chair next to me, and Raine canonballed into the deep end of the pool. Squall had brought his sketchpad and was using charcoal to illustrate Raine's movement in the water.

My cousin and my semi-violent friend finally got the radio to work, and it was playing "You And Me".

_What day is it? And in what month?  
This clock never seemed so alive  
I can't keep up and I can't back down  
I've been losing so much time_

Squall looked up briefly from his sketchpad and glanced at Lulu, who was sitting next to the now-functional radio. Apparently she knew something we didn't.

Raine swam over to the side of the pool. She crossed her arms over the rim of the deep end, her long black hair floating fluidly behind her.

"Is that one done?" she asked, nodded at the paper in his hands. Instead of answering, he turned the pad of paper around and showed it to her. From over the pages of my book, I could see that it was Raine swimming, liquid and flowing in the weightlessness of the water.

_'Cause it's you and me and all other people with nothing to do  
Nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all other people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

"Ooh! I'm not quite _that _pretty, but I like it just the same." The answer seemed to satisfy Squall; he smiled briefly and turned back to his concentrated frown that he always wore when he was working. Then he looked away from his paper, putting his pencil down. Raine was still perched on the side of the pool.

"I think we should get married," he said calmly, turning the page on his sketch pad.

"Wh-what?" Raine's eyes widened.

_All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right  
I'm tripping on words  
You've got my head spinning  
I don't know where to go from here_

"I said, I think we should get married. See, I figure there's not really much left for us to do in our relationship besides tie the knot. What do you think?" The stoic man looked up only once, his face as lacking in expression as ever. Raine stared at him incredulously.

"What kind of proposal is _that_?" she exclaimed. "You can't propose like that! You have to do it right!" Squall rolled his eyes and frowned. I laughed quietly; Rikku had completely frozen in place (well, everyone did, but it was a big deal for my cousin to be still for that long).

"Whatever. Answer me, please."

"No!" Raine stuck out her tongue and dove under the water, swimming towards the shallow end, away from Squall. The brunette man stood, put his sketch pad on his chair, and leaped into the pool, patting the zipped pocket on his black swim trunks once before jumping.

Lulu looked around. "I think this would be our cue to leave," she said with a smile, and we all snuck out in agreement. But that didn't stop us from running around to the other side of the fence and watching the events from a distance.

_'Cause it's you and me _

_And all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to prove  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why_

_I can't keep my eyes off of you_

Squall chased Raine underwater until he managed to catch her and she bolted to the surface for air.

"Aw man! I guess you won," Raine laughed, somewhat nervously. "But you still have to get down on one knee."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "We're in the water. I'll drown."

The dark-haired girl seemed to consider this, as did her boyfriend, who quickly thought of a solution. With a quiet grunt, he lifted Raine into the air, and she flailed her arms in panic.

"WHATTHEHELLDOYOUTHINKYOU'REDOING!!" she gasped as she gripped his shoulders. Squall had an arm wrapped around her hips, keeping her body tight against his. With his free hand, he unzipped the pocket and withdrew and small box. Yes, you know the one. The box with that piece of metal that changes everything in the whole world. That tiny little box that makes people weep with joy.

That box that holds engagement rings. You know the one.

_There's something about you now  
I can't quite figure out  
Everything she does is beautiful  
Everything she does is right_

"You're higher than I am," he murmured. "Are you satisfied?" Unable to speak, Raine nodded. "Good." He brought the box up near her cheek so she could see it.

"Raine, are you free to hang out?"

"When?" Raine choked out.

"For the rest of our lives. How does that sound?"

"It sounds kind of pretty freaking awesome."

Now bright red with tears of joy in her blue eyes, Raine gasped. Squall had opened the box. It was beautiful. The ring, I mean. Not the box. Well, the box wasn't ugly, but it wasn't—Okay, you know what? Story. Now.

"Maybe during our outing we can move your stuff into the apartment," he continued.

"What apartment? You don't have one," Raine tilted her head.

"No, and I never will. _We_, however, will. I've been looking around Zanarkand City for a while. Once you're done college, we can go anywhere you want." Squall smiled softly, the tenderest look I'd ever seen on his face. "So? What do you think of the living arrangement?"

Raine, instead of answering, lifted her right hand off of Squall's shoulders and slipped the ring onto her finger. Slowly, the brown-haired man let her back onto her feet and hugged her tightly. They kissed, and then I was interrupted.

_'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you  
and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to prove  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

"What are you doing?" asked Tidus from behind me. I was so surprised I almost let out a huge yelp. Luckily Paine covered my mouth with her hand so I did little more than squeak.

"Quiet!" hissed Rikku. "Squall just proposed to Raine!" Tidus looked surprised for a minute, and then grinned.

"And she said?" he questioned.

"Well," I answered, "What did I say when you proposed to _me?_"

"You said yes," my fiancé smiled. "So I'm guessing Raine did, too."

"They wouldn't be kissing if she'd said no," muttered Lenne. But then they stopped kissing and Squall faced the fence.

"Stop loitering and get in here!" he called, looking pissed off. But Squall wasn't mad. I could see it in his eyes. We vaulted over the fence for the second time that day, laughing and giggling.

"Congratulations!" exclaimed Lenne and Rikku. Tidus and Squall exchanged knowing glances, and I smiled at Raine.

"Told you so," I whispered. She stuck out her tongue.

_  
What day is it?  
And in what month?  
This clock never seemed so alive…_

**End of chapter 14**

Sahrah: Whee! Fun! Okay, from now on in this story, the time intervals will change. Next time will be graduation, and then someone's wedding, probably a few life-changing experiences… coughchildbirthcough… Yeah. Fun for the family.

Squall: This chapter is nauseatingly sweet.

Sahrah: ((dreamy sigh)) Indeed it is. I hope you liked it! Don't worry, next time it'll be canon. OH, AND BEFORE I FORGET! The next chapter will be dedicated to the first person besides bloodredx who can tell me what the Shakespearian quote Squall said means. Or if you know what play it's from. OR BOTH BECAUSE I'M A NERD AND I DEMAND PERFECTION LIKE MR. AXLER!!

Squall: ...Okaaaay... And on that slightly creepy note, you should review. Sahrah needs motivation. She's obviously lacking.

Sahrah: YOU'RE obviously MEAN. Alas. LOVE YOU ALL!! Sorry for the long wait, you know how school is. Thanks for understanding, lovies!


	15. Arguments And Coffee

Sahrah: OKAY I SERIOUSLY HAVE AN EXCUSE THIS TIME.

Editor: ((rolls eyes)) And I'm sure everyone's interesting in your excuses. Oh, wait, no, no they're not interested. They just want to read your damned fanfic already.

Sahrah: WHAT? EDITOR, YOU'RE BACK!?

Editor: Yep. Vacation's over, now start typing. ((glares)) Oh, and bloodredx will no longer be editing this fanfic.

Sahrah: Indeed. We seem to have gone our separate ways, so… ((glomp)) I missed you!

Squall: Okay, finish your pitiful excuses so we can start the chapter.

Sahrah: Right, of course. See, I had to wait until finals were over before I could work on anything, because for a while it was all "I'm either sleeping, in school, or studying." And then I had a week off, and I was, well, procrastinating, no excuse for that week. Then the last week of June I was away in Lincoln, Nebraska. These past few weeks I was adjusting to my new work schedule, but it's long past due for a fuckin' UPDATE.

Squall: What's with the profanity?

Sahrah: It's, like, a warning. Because Gippal curses a lot in this chapter. Because I think cursing is amusing, and "fuck" is my favorite curse word and none of the characters curse nearly enough to entertain me. But now for the dedication! In case no one remembers, last chapter I quoted Shakespeare, and whoever told me either the play or the meaning of the quote would have the chapter dedicated to them. There were four people who got really close, and one of them identified the play, which was "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar." These people are xkoolxmonkyx, FFX-Lover, Jessica, and sailor-jensi07. The quote basically means that a coward never really lives, and by not living, he misses out on life. Each time he misses out is like a death. A brave person experiences everything and only dies once. And now that we're done with that, let's start!

Editor: Um? Disclaimer. Now.

Sahrah: Riiiight. I do not own any of the characters, but not for lack of trying. Except for Raine, she's mine. I don't own Super Smash Brothers Brawl, or the anime series Death Note. You'll see why I say this. Also, another warning, Gippal curses a LOT in this chapter, because he's upset. And now, **Yuna's Point of View.**

**Chapter 15: Arguments And Coffee**

There's a certain anxiety that comes with graduation, I guess because it is the end of something you've worked for and the beginning of a new and scary experience. And of course Raine was laughing, because she was the only one of us who wasn't freaked out or anything. Paine was going to medical school of course, so she wasn't too nervous either.

Tidus was really nervous. It had taken him a little while to get all his memory back, and he was almost forced to repeat part of the semester. Needless to say, he was stressed beyond belief the week before finals. We all were, but him especially.

I was pretty high-strung that week myself. This is why we had such a terrible fight.

All couples argue. It'd be freaky if they didn't. Tidus and I were no different, of course, but we'd only had petty little disagreements in the past, fights that last for maybe five minutes. This time wasn't quite so easy.

It was a Tuesday night, I remember, and drizzling on and off. The sky was bleak and starless, a fitting setting for an argument. Tidus was in the kitchen, studying for a final, which would have been fine if not for a few factors.

First of all, he looked awful. He hadn't sleep very well for weeks, so he had purplish bags under his slightly bloodshot eyes. His lips were pursed with concentration, and he was slouching.

The second problem was that he was grumpy. He grunted answers, glared when I tried to talk to him, and wouldn't move when I wanted to set the table for dinner.

The third and final problem was that I was pretty grumpy, too. He'd been impossible all week, and I was pretty much sick of it. Not to mention that I'd pulled my fair share of all-nighters in the past few days.

So I did something I probably shouldn't have done. I walked up and shut the textbook he had been looking at.

"Come on, let's get some coffee or something," I exclaimed. "You've been staring at the book for ages." He looked up at me and glared; a look I'd never seen directed at me.

"_No,_" he hissed, opening the book and flipped back to the page. "I am _studying,_ because I actually _care_ about my future, unlike _someone_ I could mention."

"Excuse me? I'm ready for _my_ test, because _I_ remember the entire school year and wasn't stupid enough to get bashed by a maniac with a metal pole!" I answered bitterly. How dare he tell me I didn't care!

"Because you did _such_ a great job standing up to him! Yevon, Yuna! Who's the one who almost got killed trying to help _you?_" He grouched. I sneered at him.

"Well fine! Then next time something bad happens to me, you won't find out about it at all!"

"Even if I _did_ know, I wouldn't help you!" he yelled.

"I wouldn't want you to help me!" I yelled back. "You obviously can't even help _yourself!_" Tidus grabbed the book from the table and threw it against the wall. It made a loud sound and plunked to the floor. I stared incredulously at the book, then at him, and then back at the book. He hadn't thrown it at me, but he might as well have whacked me in the head with it.

"Grow up!" I screamed. "And hold onto this stupid thing, because I don't even know if I need it anymore!" I did something else I ought not to have done. I pulled off my engagement ring, slammed it onto the table, and crossed my arms. My eyes dared him to say something else.

His blue eyes met my bi-colored ones, the cerulean color I usually loved dark and murky with rage.

"Fine!" Tidus spat. "I swear, sometimes I wished I'd never bothered asking you to that stupid high school dance! Then I wouldn't be stuck with _all of_ _your stupid problems_!"

Then he stopped. He realized what he said. He looked at the book, at the ring, and at my eyes. The eyes filling quickly with angry tears. He realized he'd made a mistake. A big one.

"Yuna, I didn't—" Tidus didn't finish that sentence. I walked up to him, raised my hand, and slapped him across the face. I hit him so hard that it stung my hand, but I didn't care.

"How _dare_ you?" I whispered. But before he could say a word, I ran out the front door, and he stood in the kitchen with an engagement ring in his hand and a psychology textbook on the floor.

**Tidus's Point of View**

Yeah, okay. The only word that applies to that situation is: _moron_. I was a moron to let a sweet gesture become a war declaration. I was a moron to fight with the woman I love. I was a moron to throw the textbook. I was a moron to have said what I said.

But I never claimed to be smart. When Yuna stormed out of the apartment, I sunk into the kitchen chair and picked up the ring. She'd probably gone to Rikku's apartment. Or Raine's dorm, depending on how far she wanted to be from me. All I could do was sink my head into my hands and mutter "Why did I do that?" over and over.

I'm not sure how long I sat in the kitchen with the textbook on the floor and the engagement ring on the table and my head in my hands, but I guess it was long enough for Gippal to get Yuna's key and enter the apartment.

"Hey," he said softly, sitting in the chair opposite me. Yuna was probably with Rikku, if Gippal was here.

"Hey," I answered, quiet.

"So, you had a fight," the Al Bhed man sighed, leaning forward. "You had a fight with Yuna."

"Oh, really?" I growled, dripping with anger and sarcasm. Luckily, my friend simply ignored my fury. Gippal was cool like that. He let most things bounce right off him.

"It happens to everyone, you know. A misunderstanding, a mistake, whatever. It's not like it can't be fixed," he continued, reaching for the engagement ring that had been tossed onto the table, rolling the thing around in his hand. "Rikku and I argue all the time."

"Yeah, but your arguments are mostly jokes and teasing. This was a fight. I threw stuff, and she slapped me, and we _yelled._ Yuna and I never… I mean, I've never… yelled at her before."

Gippal sighed and looked at me with an amused twinkle in his green eyes. Eye. Whatever. "Do you remember four years ago, when you and Yuna broke up?"

I grimaced. It had been a memory that I'd lost for a while, and when it finally surfaced, I had felt the heartbreak from that terrible time all over again. I remembered the hurt, shock, and utter despair that I'd felt, the betrayal Yuna was led to believe, and how sick she'd gotten afterwards. It was a memory that I would have been glad to have lost forever.

"I remember it. Mostly because Yuna took _my _car," my friend smirked distantly. I rolled my eyes, but Gippal kept going. "Baralai, I think, was always dependent on you getting back with Yuna. He was like 'he's the only person who could be in love with the same girl since he was seven! He's always loved her!' Blah blah blah. Honestly, and don't tell anyone this, but I was sure you were done. Forever. I knew it wasn't your fault, I knew how much you loved Yuna, but I thought that probably she'd never trust you, or anyone else, ever again. I figured you'd hurt her way too fuckin' much, and you were too broken.

"But you, man, you proved me wrong. Sure it took some help from 'Lai and Rikku, but you ended up here, right? You've been living in this apartment for, like, four years, with Yuna. You're _engaged_ to her. You're fucking in _love_ with her, right?"

I nodded dumbly. He had a point.

Gippal continued. "You smashed her heart against a fucking brick wall, and she leaves you, runs away, and you still ended up together. I think maybe something's tryin' to tell you something, man. Yuna and Tidus are supposed to be together."

"That's awfully cheesy to say, Gip," I frowned.

"It's true, too. Then last year, she got kidnapped by a fucking psycho stalker, you got beaten in the head with a metal pole, someone got fucking _murdered _in front of you two, and somehow you're still _together._" I noticed that Gippal cursed more when he was upset. Not that it mattered.

"Last time something really fucking bad happened between you two, I was sure, I was _so damned sure_ that you were done. But I was wrong, and I hate being wrong, so this time I'm telling you to apologize to the love of your fucking life, give her back the ring, and stop worrying so damn much!" The Al Bhed man ordered, standing up and glaring at me with his one good eye. "Shit, man, if you guys can survive fucking stalkers and concussions and jealousy and kidnapping and eating disorders and fucking high school drama, then you can survive a fucking Yevon-damned _argument about fuckin' coffee!_"

He was right. He was cursing like a sailor, he was yelling and glaring with his one eye and flailing his arms, but Gippal Djose was absolutely right. I told him so.

"You're right."

"Of course I'm fucking right!"

"What should I do? Should I go apologize to her?"

Gippal looked at me incredulously, as if I had five heads. "What the fuck? Obviously not right away. Give her time to chill out. I'll hang out here while she stays with Rikku for a little while. And now I have an important question for you."

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What is it?"

"Are you ready for me to kick your ass at Super Smash Brothers Brawl?" Gip raised an eyebrow and smirked, challenging me.

"It is you," I answered with a grin, "who will be kicked in the ass."

"Let the merriment begin."

Yuna's Point of View

"Oh, that _asshole!_ How could Tidus say those things to me!?" I shrieked at my cousin. I was sitting on her bed, shouting my anger, while Rikku attempted to rub my shoulders. I was waving my arms around way too much for her to give a good massage.

"I think he was just overtired, and you were overtired, and you both said stuff you really don't mean, y'know?" the blonde said. I knew she was right. "Now, I'm not an expert or whatever, Yunie, but I know that Tidus is crazy, madly, truly in love with you, and he always has been. He obviously didn't mean anything he said to you. I'm pretty sure you could put him through twice as much trauma and drama, and he'd still come running after you."

I still knew Rikku was right. I knew Tidus loved me, and I knew I loved him, and I knew we were just grumpy and sleepy and upset, but his words still stung, and I was still mad. The anger was fading fast at Rikku's words. Logic is the enemy of anger, I mentally complained.

"And, I wish I hadn't said what I said," I added softly, my cousin's fingers rubbing the stress out of my tired shoulders.

"It's not like you can't fix this," Rikku answered. "Go kiss and make up. Then you can have make up sex and everything will be good again."

"What are you _talking about!?"_ I exclaimed, blushing. Rikku didn't miss a beat.

"Y'know," she said, "Make up sex. After you have a fight, then you make up and then have sex. Don't you watch television?"

"Maybe _you_ shouldn't," I mumbled, rolling my eyes. My cousin has the magical ability to be profane, helpful and naïve all at the same time. Probably someone should remove her television privileges.

"Don't be silly. All kidding aside, Yunie, you should apologize."

"…You're right," I admitted. Because hey, she was. "I'll go right now."

"What!? No, give him some time to cool off first. Go back later. Let's do something else… Yevon, Yunie. Fro fuimt oui ku pylg nekrd yfyo? Eteud..."

"You switched to Al Bhed again, Ri…"

"Cu? Peda sa," she huffed, pulling her hands away and crawling across the bed to grab the remote. "I say we watch anime."

I sighed. Rikku had some kind of unhealthy addiction to anime. I liked it, but she was somewhere close to obsessed. But since I was feeling a lot better thanks to my cousin, I decided to indulge her.

"Okay," I smiled. "What shall we watch?"

"Well, I've been watching this one series lately… it's about a guy who kills people by writing their names down in a notebook. And an amazingly awesome detective that's trying to catch him. It's really intense and stuff."

I shrugged. "Sounds fun. Let's watch."

(A/N: I WONDER WHAT THAT SERIES IS.)

With that, Rikku popped in a DVD, and we watched cartoons.

Gippal's Point of View

After I creamed Tidus at Super Smash Bros, I went back to my apartment. Well, I was going towards it, but Rikku came out of our door at the same time.

"You fix things on your end?" she asked me.

"Yep," I answered, shoving my hands into my pockets and grinning. "You?"

"Yeah." She smiled and put her hands on her hips. "You do nice work, Mister Djose."

"Not so bad yourself, Mrs. Djose."

She threw her arms around me. "Cool. Let's enjoy the fruits of our labor."

"Which would be…?"

She looked at me with a teasing smirk. "An apartment _aaaall_ to ourselves, of course. Shall we?"

I wiggled my eyebrows. "We shall."

**Yuna's Point of View**

So Rikku came back in and said that Tidus was chilled out, and that reconciliation was a good idea. I didn't even know she knew that word.

Anyway, I marched back home and opened the door.

"Tidus…?" I called out tentatively.

He was in the kitchen with two cups of coffee on the table. My fiancée stood up as soon as I walked over and we both yelled "I'm sorry!" at the same time. I suppose it was a little amusing.

"I'm sorry I threw the book and said all those things! I love you, and I didn't mean anything!" he exclaimed.

"I'm sorry I put the ring on the table and yelled at you! I didn't want to say it, and I'm really sorry!" I cried back. Then we froze, and then we laughed. I ran forward into his arms, and we stood in our tiny kitchen together like that.

Then we laughed, I cried a little, and he put the ring back onto my finger. We sat down, drank our coffee, and I learned that Rikku was right about make up sex.

A few weeks later, we all got our final grades back. Tidus passed all his classes (not the best score in the world, but that was totally not his fault so we were all proud of him) and then we graduated. Except for Raine of course, who was only halfway done. Now that we were finished, we got to laugh at her.

Rikku and Gippal were in RENT with their theatre company. They were just ensemble members, but I guess you can't star in all the shows. They left for a six-month tour just days after graduation, but after the tour, the troupe was going to perform in Zanarkand for three years. I was going to miss my cousin and my friend quite a bit, but there were always visits and cell phones to look forward to.

Lenne finished her teaching degree online and started looking for a job. Emma, now seven years old, was starting first grade in the fall. Shuyin worked part-time as a mechanic and was part of a minor-league Blitzball team. Of course, a scout had come to the last few games, and had requested that Shuyin transfer to the major league.

Squall bought Rikku and Gippal's apartment (they didn't need it anymore) and Raine moved in with him. Lulu and Wakka were happy together, as they always have been. Wakka, on the same team as Shuyin, was also requested for major league Blitz, and Lulu is continuing her degree in art, and Paine is going to medical school in Luca. Baralai is going with her.

Am I forgetting anyone? Oh, right.

Tidus and I are staying in Zanarkand. He's working on another degree in psychology, and I'm writing a book. My book is about a lot of things. It's about how Tidus and I got together, and how we stayed together. It's about all my "adventures" with my friends, and it's about how much better my life is because of the people in it.

My next big adventure is planning a wedding. Thank goodness I'm part of YRP plus L2. And Raine and Emma, who like to poke their heads in. Tidus helps when he can, but he generally isn't so helpful. Lulu most often sends him to get us coffee.

And I don't know what else. I'm very happy, I'm excited for my wedding, and Tidus brews excellent coffee.

**End of chapter 15**

Sahrah: Because coffee is excellent, that's why.

Editor: Sahrah, you hate coffee.

Sahrah: …SO ANYWAY… Next chapter is the WEDDING! ABSO-POSI-YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

Squall: So what was the point of this chapter?

Sahrah: Good question, my good man!

Squall: …Don't call me that.

Sahrah: 'Kay. But yeah… this chapter existed because Tidus and Yuna never fight in my fanfic. At least, not enough to count. All couples fight; all relationships of every kind hit speed bumps sometimes. I wanted to point out that these two are no exception; they argue, they yell, and they get upset. And then, like most relationships, they heal. And have make up sex. But not all relationships do that. Like, friendships don't do that. Unless it's friends-with-benefits. But that's different.

Editor: OKAY! Enough. Next chapter will be the wedding, and then the epilogue. Thanks for reading!

Sahrah: Yes! Thanks for your continual support! I love you all very much, and sorry about the delay.

Squall: They're used to it. You never do _anything_ on time.

Sahrah: ((sigh)) So true, so true. Oh well! The next chapter I wrote a while ago, so it's actually done all ready. I'm going to post it on my birthday, which is July 30th. I'm going to be sixteen, yay! So anyway. I'll see you all next time, and reviews are love. Bye!


	16. Always Have, Always Will

Sahrah: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Because I am sixteen today, I shall give my lovely readers a gift. Which is backwards, but I don't care. I present to you the last chapter of "One Step Forward." Stay tuned for the epilogue. This isn't the last entry.

Editor: No, there's going to be two more. The epilogue and the thank you letter.

Squall: Is the thank you letter necessary?

Sahrah: YES. I have something important to say.

Squall: …Whatever.

Editor: These characters belong to Square Enix. Except for Marza and Raine, who belong to Sahrah.

Sahrah: Tidus and Yuna got married on my birthday! Meh. It's my story. I can do anything I want. **Yuna's point of view.**

**Chapter 16: Always Have, Always Will**

"Yuna! Aren't you coming?" called Paine from outside the door. "I put on a _dress,_ for Yevon's sake. Come on."

"Doctor P, leave her alone!" argued Rikku. "It's her big day; she can have as much time as she wants. Yunie, you don't need any help in there do you?"

"No," I answered. "Thanks, Ri."

It was a beautiful building with cream colored walls and changing rooms. My cousin noted that it reminded her a little of a theatre she'd seen in Kilika. It was big and fancy, not to mention terribly romantic.

I poked my head out the door and smiled at my best friends. Because they'd helped plan the wedding, they had gotten to choose the colors they wore. The dresses were all the same basic style; a calf-length strapless gown with a ruffled skirt. Rikku, the Maid of Honor, had a pale orange dress. Paine wore grey, Lulu wore purple, Lenne wore light blue, and Raine wore red.

And me? White. Of course. The bride is supposed to wear white, so I did. Lulu designed my dress herself. It had a full, big skirt, a corset top, and off-shoulder short sleeves. The veil was long, and the ribbon wrapped around my braid was a silky white. The flowers in my bouquet were white and red roses.

"You coming soon?" Shuyin, the best man, stuck his head in the door.

"I'm ready Daddy!" exclaimed Emma. Emma was the flower girl, and her dress was the same color as Lenne's gown. Of course, hers was cuter and frillier. She held up the basket proudly, and reached for Shuyin's hand.

He smiled at us before closing the door and leading his child down the aisle. I swallowed and stepped out of the dressing room. I can honestly say that I felt beautiful.

Feeling beautiful is a rare, wonderful feeling. It's the feeling that for once in life, everything is perfect. I know that many brides get frantic, and panicky, but I felt a calm wash over me. The man I loved was going to marry me. I was going to marry the man I loved. No matter how I said it, no matter how many times, it still made my heart sing.

"Time to go," said Lulu as she opened the door. The groomsmen were waiting for the bridesmaids. Rikku hooked her arm around Shuyin's (she was the maid of honor; he was the best man, that's how they went. It's the way things are.), and they started towards the front. From behind my friends, Tidus couldn't see me yet, but Yevon I saw him.

He looked slightly nervous but mostly happy. Raine took Squall's arm. I stared at my fiancée. Lulu took Wakka's arm. I kept staring. Then Lenne went with Gippal and then Paine with Baralai. Next was me.

My father, Braska Lesca, had been waiting in the room with my friends. He smiled at me.

"Your mother would be so happy," he said.

"She's here," I answered. That's all I said. All I needed to say, really. It was time. I grasped my father's arm and we marched.

Tidus's Point of View

Waiting is the most horrible thing I can think of. Waiting for the sun to rise, waiting for someone to arrive, waiting to go somewhere… waiting is evil, vile, nasty, and whoever invented it is a terrible person.

I was waiting somewhat patiently in front of the alter. The flower girl, my niece and Shuyin and Lenne's daughter Emma (now seven years old), tossed the last handful of flowers onto the ground and skipped up to stand quietly beside her mother.

Then the piano struck up the melody of 'here comes the bride' and the doors opened a little wider than they had already been. The bridal party descended, starting with a strange pair of best man and maid of honor. Shuyin was the best man, because he's always been there.

He's my brother. We'd been best friends since birth, and he's always supported me. I've had the opportunity to see him change from a child to a pigheaded teenager to a worrying husband to a loving father. When Shu first met Yuna, he called her a geek. Now he calls her a sister.

Shuyin was there when our mother died. He was there when Yuna came to our house in the rain. He was there to help me when I needed it. Even when he proclaimed himself "the handsome twin" and said annoying things, I knew that he was my closest companion. Shuyin was always there, and that's why he was the best man.

I was happy with my choice. With all my choices. I was glad that my brother was my best man, happy that 'Lai, Gippal, Wakka, and Squall were the groomsmen, and glad that we were all together.

And then my blushing bride walked confidently down the aisle in her wedding gown with her father at her side. Braska walked her up the steps, smiled at me with tears in his eyes, and let go of his daughter. He stood on her side of the stand.

Yuna and I stood together during the happiest moment of both of our lives. Our wedding day.

"Those who are gathered here today are called to bear witness to the union of Yuna Lesca and Tidus Watanuki…"

Yuna's Point of View

The priest went on for a while about the sanctities of marriage. He spoke of how it called for two people to love and cherish and hold dear each other and themselves. There was so much truth to what he said.

Marriage isn't about fancy parties or pretty dresses or expensive suits. It's about love, partnership, and hope.

"Yuna Lesca, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish, through sickness and through health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?"

I smiled at Tidus and held his hands. "I do."

"And do you, Tidus Watanuki, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, through health and through sickness, through rich and through poor, until death do you part?"

He did not hesitate. "I do."

"Does anyone in this assembly have any reason these two should not be wed? Speak now, or forever hold your peace." There was a pause. Who would object to us being together?

Who would _dare_ to even consider stopping us now, after what we had come through?

"Then, I legally pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest closed his book and smiled warmly.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Tidus muttered under his breath. Time stopped as we came together for a sweet, loving kiss.

Every time Tidus kissed me, I felt like I wanted to melt into him. I loved him so much, and I know he loved me. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. Or was it his heart? I couldn't tell.

My friends and family clapped and cheered. Rikku glomped Gippal and yelled things that I couldn't hear.

"I love you so much," I said when we parted.

"Forever and always… until death do us part."

"No," I answered. "Longer."

**Tidus's Point of View**

There was a cake in my face. I mean, I didn't ask for it to be there. It just… was.

Yuna and I held the knife and cut the cake together. It's traditional for newlyweds to either feed each other a piece of cake or shove a slice into their new spouse's face. I fed the cake to Yuna, because I was sure she wouldn't appreciate the messing of her makeup and hair. I was totally being a gentleman. But she shoved it in my face.

This was okay, I guess, because it tasted really good. But still. There was still cake in my face

"We're going to throw the bouquet!" I heard Rikku squealing. Yuna climbed onto one of the tables, faced away from all the excited women, and prepared to throw the collected flowers over her shoulders.

Lulu and Wakka sat at one of the table laughing. Lenne and Shuyin were out in the car, making sure Emma went to sleep. Rikku was just running around getting everyone excited, not really intent on catching a bouquet, because that tradition is worthless if you're already married. Although I wouldn't put it past Rikku to catch the flowers anyway.

"One… two… three!" Yuna tossed the flowers back. Little girls and older women that were odd cousins and friends of friends and relatives we didn't recognize scrambled for those flowers.

But Paine caught them. She just kind of thrusted her arm into the air and caught them. She didn't even look like she was trying. The other women were sorely disappointed.

"Well, looks like I'm getting married next," the warrior said, flashing a very rare smile.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Raine, who was yanking on Squall's arm to try to get him dancing. He just kind of stared at her until she pretended to cry, at which point he stood and allowed himself to be dragged off.

So Paine took the flowers to go sit down at her table and eat more cake. Baralai walked up and sat down next to her.

"Nice catch," he said.

"Thanks," Paine answered, giving him a sort of half-smile.

"Actually, I was talking to myself. About you. _You_ are a nice catch, Paine."

Paine blushed, showing the second rare emotion for that day. I think the reason she got along so well with Baralai was because they were both pretty shy when I comes to emotions and such.

"So… what's up?"

"Well…" Baralai was flustered. He got down on one knee, and I pulled Yuna to me.

"What is it?" my new wife asked me. I pointed.

"Oh my Yevon!" she exclaimed. "He's proposing!"

Paine, on the other hand, had different ideas. She was still flushed, sure, but that didn't stop her from reaching over and closing the box that 'Lai had pulled out of his pocket.

"Why are you proposing to me during the reception of our best friends' wedding?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking. Her boyfriend looked shattered, and I was about to go towards him when Yuna stopped me.

"Wait," she said.

"Today is their day, 'Lai," Paine continued.

"Right, so… can I ask you to marry me tomorrow?" questioned Baralai as he stood.

"Why yes," she smiled. "Yes you may."

I grinned and turned to Yuna. Yevon, she was so beautiful. Her bi-colored eyes were bright with happiness and love, and she smiled softly. My wife looked content with all of Spira at that moment.

"My mother would have hated this party," I commented. "She would have preferred a simple one on the beach or something. She would have wanted it to be smaller and more special."

"My mom would have wanted to invite more people," Yuna answered. "She would have invited every person she'd ever met. She'd have wanted it to be bigger and elegant."

I laughed, and so did she. "Our moms would hate each other," I said.

"No," she smiled. "I don't think so. Their wants have one thing in common, and that's for us to get married. My mom would love you."

"My mom would love you," I answered.

"D'you think Marza would like this party?" Yuna asked dreamily, hugging me.

"I don't know. But I'm sure she can see it." I kissed her head. "Well, Mrs. Watanuki, it's getting late."

She looked up and smiled. "We've cut the cake, thrown the bouquet, removed the garter, danced our first dance, drank champagne, talked to everyone we know… Did I miss anything?"

"No," I said. "Just one more thing that needs to be done."

"And what might that be, Mr. Watanuki?"

"We go home and _do it_. Multiple times."

"Tidus!" she hit my arm playfully. "Don't say it like that!"

"Shall I become a prince then?" I laughed, sweeping her into my arms. Then I whispered into her ear, "I'll say it like this. Let's go home and I'll make love to you over and over. I'll make love to you because it feels so good when I'm inside of you, and you're so beautiful that I want you to know how much I want you. I love you so much. You're my princess." Yuna shivered and blushed, hiding her face in my shoulder. I smiled triumphantly and carried her to the door.

"We'll take care of the clean-up!" cried Lenne. "That's our job! Go home and have fun!"

"Lots of fun!" exclaimed Wakka.

"Not too much fun!" Rikku frowned. "I live next door!"

**Yuna's Point of View**

I love Tidus Watanuki with all of my head, all of my body, and all of my soul. I love him when he's frustrated, when he's smiling, when he's failing miserably at Super Smash Brothers. I love him when he cooks, when he drives, when he holds my hand.

Like he said in the first place, we… "Did it" multiple times. No, that's not right… Tidus and I made love until we collapsed, breathless in each other's arms. It was beautiful, and I felt whole and utterly loved.

Three weeks of wedded bliss passed. The first week, we went to Macalania for our honeymoon. It was a stunning place, especially at night. But see, I didn't really care about a honeymoon; this is going to sound so lame, but ever since Tidus and I had started living together, every day had been a honeymoon. You should be jealous; my honeymoon has lasted for five years.

We left from Macalania and returned to Zanarkand, because of course my husband (haha, still fun to say) was taking classes. I'd been feeling somewhat ill, and I'd made an appointment at the doctor. Because of busy schedules, Lulu took me to the doctor's office.

I told the doctor my symptoms, and she smiled. She smiled when I told her that my stomach kind of hurt, and food didn't taste good anymore, and everything smelled weird. I wanted to slap her in the face.

"Mrs. Watanuki," the doctor said. "You're pregnant and you're going to have a baby."

Suddenly, the desire to slap her transformed in the desire to hug her. Lulu cried out in surprise and happiness, and threw her arms around me.

**Tidus's Point of View**

It is incredibly alarming to receive a text message from your wife that says _"CALL ME. EMERGENCY"_ in the middle of a psychology class. I went to the hallway and called Yuna immediately.

"_Tidus?"_ she answered.

"What's wrong?" I exclaimed. "Are you okay? How bad is it? Did something happen? What did the doctor say?"

_"To answer your questions, yes, very good, yes, and she said it's too soon to tell."_

"Too soon to tell what?" I cried.

Then Yuna blew me away. _"She said it's too soon to determine the gender."_

I took a breath. "The gender of… what?"

I heard my wife laugh softly. _"The gender of our baby. I'm pregnant, Tidus. We're going to have a baby."_

Seven minutes later, a classmate found me passed out in the hall. I regained consciousness as my classmate (a young guy named Shinra) shook my shoulder. Naturally he was worried.

"My wife is pregnant!" I exclaimed in joy, jumping up.

"C-congratulations?" Shinra blinked. Poor guy just wanted a drink of water. He didn't expect to find a half-crazed guy passed out in the hallway. I ran back into the class.

"Professor, I need to leave now. It's an emergency," I said to my teacher.

"If it's an emergency," he answered kindly, "then why are you still here?" I nodded my thanks, grabbed my books, and bolted for the apartment complex. Yuna and Lulu were sitting on the couch, drinking coffee. I burst through the front door and the black mage smirked.

"I think you made record time," Lulu said, pushing her black hair out of her eyes.

Yuna stood and walked over to me. She put her hands on my wrist and pressed my palm to her flat tummy. It wouldn't be flat for long.

"There's a baby in here," she whispered. "Our baby. You ready?"

I laughed. "Ready? Of course not. But I will be."

Yuna smiled and kissed me. "It'll be okay. We'll take it one step at a time. And we'll be together."

I smiled back and hugged my wife. My beautiful wife. The love of my life. My Yuna.

"I love you," I told her. "Always have, always will."

**End of Chapter 16**

Sahrah: It's so adorable that I may be ill. But hey! For once in my life, something's done on time. Hell is frozen over. You'd better run… **Don't forget that there shall soon be an epilogue!**

Editor: That's right! We're not done yet. Also, Sahrah's written a surprisingly sentimental letter to be posted after the epilogue.

Squall: I still say it's stupid.

Sahrah: But then you would be wrong.

Editor: Yeesh. Time to go, birthday girl. Wrap it up.

Sahrah: Right! Please take the time and review! Do it as a birthday present for me! And the more reviews I get, the sooner the epilogue gets finished. Thanks for sticking with me thus far, we're almost done!


	17. Epilogue: Forever

Sahrah: Whew. Oh man. I can't believe this is the end. I'm not getting into the sappy crappy cry-fest (nope, that comes in the thank you note), so I'll just jump to the story before I begin to cry.

Editor: Probably a good idea, Sahrah. How about your last disclaimer? Make it a good one.

Sahrah: O-okay… I don't… own… WAAH! ((bursts into tears))

Editor: …Dammit.

Squall: ((hugs Sahrah)) Sigh. She doesn't own anything except for Raine and the plotline.

Sahrah: ((huggles Squall)) ((sniffle)) R-right… Um, okaaay... **third person point of view**… ((sobs))

**Epilogue: Forever**

_"…And_ that's our story," Yuna finished with a smile. Her miss-matched eyes wrinkled as she smiled and looked at her eight-year-old son, Jesse, with his hair brown like his mother and his eyes blue like his father. She looked at her niece and nephew, Vena and Tajem, the blonde twins with swirly green eyes and wicked, devilish smiles. She looked at Emma, fifteen years old and holding Vidina, who was five.

Lulu smirked from the couch, recalling the insane events that had filled her life. Lenne was holding her other child, Erik, in the kitchen with Paine and 'Lai. Paine and Baralai had two children, Risa and Matthew. Matthew was two, and in the kitchen with his parents. Wakka, Shuyin and Tidus were outside playing a friendly game of Blitzball. Although it wasn't too friendly after all, because the women had made the kids stay inside so they wouldn't hear the former teammates cursing at each other like sailors.

Perhaps the ending was a bit too perfect, thought Yuna. Perhaps the love-conquers-all had been a little too cliché, and the events too unrealistic. Perhaps she'd soon wake up to find it had all been a wonderful dream…

"Auntie?" asked Risa, the four-year-old daughter of Paine and Baralai, stopping the bi-eyed woman's inane thoughts. "Is that a true story?"

"It is," nodded Yuna, a smile stretching across her lips.

"That must have been so scary, when that bad man kidnapped you!" cried Vena and Tajem in unison.

"I wasn't too scared," the woman answered. "I knew everyone would come find me." She reached out and patted Rikku and Gippal's twins on their heads. Lulu chuckled and looked towards the front door.

"Someone's pulling into the driveway," the black mage commented.

"Yuna!" cried a youthful, ecstatic voice from the driveway. "Lenne, Lulu, Paine! _Helloooo_!" Rikku had gone to get Raine and Squall from the airship port, and it could be none other than the happy, dark-haired young woman yelling and running outside. Well, it could be Rikku, but the next part of the exchange ruled out that possibility.

"Stop _running_!" demanded Rikku. "You're freakin' pregnant! Yeesh! Squall, do something!"

"What should I do? She never listens to me," replied Squall in his cool, collected male voice.

Yuna laughed and stood up, rushing to the front door to let her friends inside. She was followed by the train of children, Jesse and Emma in the front with Vidina, followed by Vena, Tajem, and Risa.

"Where's Gip?" asked Yuna.

"Getting the pizza," replied the blonde Al Bhed woman as she helped an eight-month pregnant Raine get up the front steps.

After the few years on the road with their troupe, Rikku and Gippal had retired from Broadway, due to the pressure of being away from home and the desire to raise a family. Gippal had finally achieved his dream of a successful mechanic shop, which he owned and ran with his talented wife.

Squall Leonhart marched into Tidus and Yuna's house with two bags in each hand.

"So I'm willing to bet," Emma said, "That the three big bags are Raine's, and the little black one is yours."

"Smart girl," confirmed the stoic brown-haired man as he dumped the bag at the foot of the stairs.

"I try," sighed the teenager as she wandered off to find her dad, her straight brown hair bouncing on her shoulders.

"She's way too much like Shuyin…" Raine said.

"Agreed." Lenne walked over to the group with her one-and-a-half year-old baby in her arms. The child was named Erik, and his head was covered in soft, downy blonde curls.

"Mommy? Are we going to eat soon?" Jesse asked his mother, tugging on the bottom of her shirt. Yuna smiled, leaned down, and scooped up her eight-year-old.

"As soon as Uncle Gip gets back from the supermarket," she promised, smoothing his brown hair lovingly.

"Yunie!" called a warm voice from the back door. "We're done with our game."

"Who won?" she yelled back.

"Emma. She came out and kicked all of us on our behinds." Tidus Watanuki walked over to his wife and child, embraced them both, and kissed Yuna's cheek.

"What story did you tell them this time?" he asked.

"Ours," she murmured, leaning over and kissing him quickly on the mouth.

"D'aww. There's going to be plenty of time for that later," Raine pointed out. "You keep making kissy faces and I may go into labor right friggin' _now_."

"Raine, that's impossible," Paine reprimanded. Yuna laughed and put Jesse back on his feet.

Soon Gippal returned with several pies of pizza, and everyone ate, talked about their jobs and their houses.

"We're moving into our new house soon," Baralai said proudly. He'd finished school and was practicing law in Bevelle. Paine had gotten a job as a brain surgeon in Bevelle General Hospital, and Risa was starting kindergarten in the fall.

Yuna and Tidus had ended up staying in Zanarkand, moving to a more suburban area. Of course, since twins naturally want to stay together, Shuyin and Lenne had moved in across the street from them. Emma was going to Zion High School South, and Jesse went to Zanarkand Elementary. Lenne had finished her online degree years previously and worked at the elementary school.

Wakka and Lulu had gone back to Bevelle, living near Paine and Baralai. Raine and Squall lived on Gagazet, because Raine couldn't bear to stay far from her father or her brother, but the two often flew to Besaid to visit Squall's mother and her boyfriend.

Rikku had grown up next door to Yuna. She's gone to college living next door to Yuna. Unfortunately, the houses next to Tidus and Yuna's had not been for sale when they had moved in, so Rikku and Gippal lived in a nearby townhouse. Three months previous, the house on the left had been put for sale, and Gippal had bought the house for his wife and his children, and they ended up happy after all.

"Emma, are you going to be a cheerleader when school starts?" asked Yuna as she took a bite of her pizza. The teenager looked at her aunt as though the woman had five heads.

"Ugh! No, I'm trying out for Blitz. I'm the best player in the school, and the coach knows it. Even Pacce knows it, that's why he wanted me to be a cheerleader."

"But you're a girl, ya?" Wakka was unable to stop the words from leaving his mouth. "They'll eat you alive."

Emma glowered at her uncle and stood slowly. "'Kay, how about this. You and me, backyard, right now. We'll see who gets eaten."

Wakka withered in his chair, and everyone laughed.

After watching a family-oriented movie (with a break in the middle for Jesse, Matthew, Erik, Risa, and Vidina to go to sleep), the house dispersed. Raine and Squall were staying for the week with Yuna and Tidus. Lulu, Wakka, and Vidina were staying with Lenne, Shuyin, Emma, and Erik. Paine, Baralai, Risa and Matthew were staying with Rikku, Gippal, and the twins.

Everyone said their goodbyes, their 'I-love-yous,' and their 'I'll-see-you-tomorrows,' and went to their respective homes. Raine was tired and turned in early, with Squall following her. Yuna laughed; Squall reminded her of Tidus when she had been pregnant with Jesse. He had tried very hard not to be over protective, but he had always been right with her just in case of emergency.

"'Night," the stoic man said as he followed his pregnant wife up the stairs. Yuna waved back and helped Tidus clean up the kitchen.

"I love the end of summertime," the brunette woman smiled.

"I do, too. The weather's nice, and the sunset looks extra amazing," Tidus replied.

"I love spending time with all our friends…" she continued, her voice quieter as he opened the back door to the deck where Yuna sat down on a swinging bench.

"I do, too. I miss seeing them during the year."

"I love Jesse, and I love you," she whispered, curling up in his embrace as they stared at the stars. Tidus kissed the top of her head.

"I have always loved you, Yuna."

She smiled. "I know. But tell me again. Please?"

Tidus smiled back, his signature grin with pearly white teeth. The wind rustled his spiky blonde hair and it tickled his face. "Okay, well... When I was seven years old, a beautiful little girl named Yuna Lesca moved in across the street and to the left. We were both seven years old, and she was scared. I fell in love with her right away. When my brother said she had cooties, I ignored him. When everyone said she was a geek, I ignored them. When that man hurt her… I didn't know. But I loved her still, and for a long time I'd hoped she would somehow know.

"But she never figured it out, and that man hurt her very badly. Then one day I couldn't take it anymore; I loved Yuna Lesca so much… On that day, we were both eighteen. She finished her math test, and I finished mine. Yuna was passing notes with her cousin, and I tossed one in too.

"So Yuna took a Leap of Faith. She decided to let me love her, and we were together for a very long, happy time. Some bad stuff happened during that time, and some unexpected things. Like Dona, and Emma. Then I made a mistake. I got careless, and she got hurt because of me. She ran away because she was scared… and eventually I chased after her.

"We were finally together again in college. We made new friends, but still loved and depended on our old ones. Then someone else decided that he wanted Yuna, too. He took her away from me, so I chased him. Our friends helped so much, and then she was back in my arms.

"I asked her to marry me, and she agreed. We got married after our senior year of college. A few months later, Yuna got pregnant, and we had a beautiful little boy named Jesse Aaron. After Yuna's mother Jessica and my mother Anabelle.

"Eight years later, we sat outside on our deck, watching the stars. I held her and she asked me to tell her how much I love her."

Tidus paused, and cradled Yuna's face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "Yuna Watanuki, I love you more than all the stars in the night sky, deeper than the ocean, stronger than the fiercest storm on Spira. I've loved you since before I care to remember, and I promise that I can only love you more as each day passes." He brushed the happy tears from Yuna's eyes. "I love our child, and I love our friends. I love waking up every morning and seeing you. I love going to sleep with you in my arms. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you with all of my heart."

Yuna held her husband tightly and whispered, "Tidus Watanuki, my love for you is bigger than the world, more beautiful than the Farplane, and more powerful than anything I have ever known. It fills my entire being with happiness in ways I can't even begin to comprehend. I want you to be beside me forever."

"Forever and ever," agreed the blonde man, leaning in and kissing Yuna softly. They were interrupted when a small voice whispered something into the night.

"Mommy? Daddy? Can I stay with you? I can't sleep." It was little eight-year-old Jesse, with wide, stunning blue eyes and soft, windswept brown hair. His pajamas had little red chocobos on them, and he clutched a chocobo plushie by the foot in his hand.

"Of course you can, darling," Yuna answered, holding out her hand for her son to grab. He climbed onto the swing between his parents and rested his head against Tidus's chest, looking at Yuna expectantly.

"Hey, Mommy?" Jesse started.

"Yes?"

"Aunt Raine has a baby in her tummy, right?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"How did it get there?"

**The End**

Sahrah: ((bursts out laughing and crying at the same time)) YESSS, HOW DID IT GET THERE? UNGH, THE ENDING WAS SO FLUFFY I COULD HURL… BUT I MADE IT… EHEHEHEHEHEEE…. WAAAH…

Editor: …Oh good Yevon. Uh… Sahrah, suck it up.

Sahrah: Gwah. Sorry. I'm just very emotional… I'll have the thank you letter and the prologue for my new story online tomorrow. About this… well, I actually wrote this today (August 30, 2008) in the car on the way home from my trip to Vermont. Yeah, in one sitting. In, like, two hours. Crazy, I know. I'm pretty proud of that. And as for the ending, well… I've always wanted to write a scene like that, with the kid asking about babies. If my kid asked me, I'd make him guess until he said an answer that amused me a lot.

Squall: I'm not surprised. You'd be a weird mother. Oh, and for the record, Vena (Rikku and Gip's daughter) means "fire" in Al Bhed. Tajem (their son) means "devil". We thought it fit. We also thought it was fitting for them to have twins.

Sahrah: Indeed. Well, cookies for whoever gives me the funniest response for the _lucky_ parents to say to Jesse. I also would like to hear your opinions on the excruciatingly Mary-Sue children. Ah well. In the meantime, ciao!


	18. THANK YOU!

Okay guys, this is it. My thank you to all you crazy readers at there... (Oh, wait I'm the crazy one...) Well, whatever. I started "A Leap of Faith" about two years and ten months ago. I was in middle school, and I had absotively posolutely no clue as to what I was doing. I'd just beaten FFX-2, and I had an idea.

So I wrote my idea into a fanfic, and that was my own personal leap of faith. Which is kind of cheesy, but true. You see, before the story, I'd never written anything real. Short stories and poems, yeah, but no full-blown projects like Leap of Faith.

When I finished the story, I was asked to make a sequel. Thusly, "One Step Forward" came to life. It took longer than the first one, but I finished it yesterday.

Someone asked me to make another sequel, but honestly? What else can I possibly say? What else can I do to Yuna and Tidus and their friends?

...Well actually...

Tch! No, no, we're done. Time to say goodbye to this fanfic, and more importantly, time for me to thank some cool people.

I honestly don't have time to name every person who helped me with this story, but there are some that need names. First of all is my little sister, Corrie, who reads everything I write and watches all my AMVs and comments on all my drawings. She's pretty much the most important person in my life.

I'd like to thank bloodredx, because she edited a few chapters of "One Step Forward" for me. I'd also like to thank randomhero3 and Splat436 for contacting me on AIM and giving me advice when I asked for it.

I'd like to thank every single person who ever took the time to review and read and enjoy my story. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but to me it's really special. Some of you guys have been reading for almost three years, and I can never thank you enough.

So now I've got a special present for you. First of all, review this letter with a question. Ask me anything at all, and I'll post the answers. I've stuck in a few informations that probably interest me more than you... The second present is half of the prologue for my new fanfic, _Their Story._ The whole prologue will be online tomorrow, and I seriously hope that you look at it. It's about Shuyin and Lenne, and they deserve so much looooveeee.

... Loooveeeee... ((makes kissy faces))

**OKAY TIME FOR THE QUESTIONS!**

**Q: (asked by Jessica) You know the things that get written at the top and slightly at the bottom of the pages? What's that all about? Do you have other people writing that? Cuz it's really, REALLY funny.**

A: You mean the author's notes? Nope, I write those all by myself. My writing may be serious (or seriously fluffy) but in real life I'm pretty sarcastic and silly. So I've got to put that in there. I'm glad you like them though! :)

**Q: (asked by Splat436) When is it you found out that you were an amazing author?**

A: Dude, you're making me blush. Haah... I guess it's when I showed my work to my teachers and they were like "Holy crap this is good!" I don't know, I guess it kind of just happened.

**Q: Are you writing any original stories?**

A: Yes, in fact I am! I'm currently working on an original novel called "_Artifact"_ that I think is coming along nicely. You can't see it though, sorry.

**Q: Have you written any fanfics besides "A Leap of Faith" and "One Step Forward"?**

A: I have. I've written an Inu Yasha fanfic (called "Bleeding Hearts") which sucks because it's old. I've got a bunch of poems down there, too. I have posted on deviantART a fanfic by the title of "Lies Add Up" and also one called "Cleaning". Both are AkuRoku fanfics (as in, Axel and Roxas from Kingdom Hearts. As in, shonen-ai, yaoi, boyxboy... ) I thought it might be better not to post shonen-ai on my fanfiction account, but I still might post it here. I hope no one who reads my work is homophobic or anything, that would make me so sad...

**Q: Okay, what does Emma look like at age 15? What do any of the kids look like at age 15?**

A: Ah, very good question. First of all, I will be drawing and posting pictures of the kids at age 15 on my deviantART account some time soon... Anyway. Emma at 15 looks very much like her mother. Her hair is brown and straight. Her hair reaches just past her ears and is layers. Her bangs are kind of shaped like Shuyin's, and she has chocolate-colored eyes like Lenne.

Vena's blonde of course, with swirly green Al Bhed eyes. Her hair reaches her shoulder blades, but she wears it in messy pigtails on the top of her head (sort of like Rikku's ponytail in FFX, but two of them) and she's got blue feather earrings. Tajem basically looks like Gippal, but his hair's a little shorter, a little lighter, and he has both eyes.

Jesse pretty much looks like Yuna. His hair is the same style as hers, but shorter, and his eyes are blue like his daddy's. He's also got Tidus's smile.

Risa has layered hair that just about reaches her shoulders. Her hair is a greyish-silver color, and her eyes are red like Paine's.

Vidina looks like Wakka with orange hair, but his style isn't nearly as tall, and it's more spiky. Oh, and his eyes are red like Lulu's. He's a lot easier to imagine I guess, because I don't own him.

**Q: So there's no more sequels... what happens next?**

A: They all live happily ever after. What the hell else could possibly happen? Emma grows up to be a professional Blitzball player, Yuna publishes her book which becomes a bestseller, and everyone wins. Raine has her baby (a girl), who looks like Squall and acts like Raine.

**Q: Are you going to show us part of the prologue for _"Their Story"_ now?**

A: Yeah, yeah. Here is it:

* * *

It was dark. Deep, dark. Floating endlessly in the abyss of pyreflies and silence. She sat on air, half dreaming. Alone.

She was not lonely. She had been asleep, having had faded so long ago, and had not felt the same loneliness of the one she loved. He was so angry; she could feel it now.

She opened her eyes. Her eyes were soft cinnamon, gentle and warm, emotional and powerful. She could feel her lover's fury, his wrath. Slowly, the memories that had almost faded with her seeped back.

_Vegnagun. The war. The concert. The letter. My last night with him_. _Fading with him… Shuyin…I remember when it all started… such a long time ago… can't we rest now…?_

The flood of memories came strongly. She could feel warmth returning to her limbs that had grown cold over time. Her knuckles cracked quietly, she stretched her legs. Her long brown hair flowed around her. Was she in the ocean? She couldn't tell.

'_It's so dark here… Shuyin, where are you? What have you done in my absence?'_

The memory of the first concert surfaced again. Her lips twitched. So many centuries of silence, her voice ached to be heard. Then she heard it.

A song.

* * *

Okay, time to wrap it up. Thank you all so much for your time, your input, and your support.

I hope you enjoy my next project. I hope you enjoyed this one. I hope you have more questions for me, and I hope you loved "A Leap of Faith" and "One Step Forward" as much as I did.

See you soon!

Ciao,

_Sahrah Marmlade-Leonhart_

* * *

September 1st, 2008. 12:51 AM


End file.
